Ballina Greens MP Tamara Smith owns three properties, but says electorate too expensive to live in

A northern NSW MP with three properties to her name has told a forum she lives outside her political patch “because I couldn’t afford a house in my own electorate”.

A Northern Rivers MP with three properties to her name has told a forum she lives outside her political patch “because I couldn’t afford a house in my own electorate”.

Ballina MP Tamara Smith owns two units at Alstonville in the electorate which she rents “to permanent residents” and a house at Lismore Heights that she lives in.

But the Greens politician said it was not possible to find a house suitable for her family and particularly her mother in a wheelchair within Ballina.

The forum in which Ms Smith was questioned about living in her electorate.

Ms Smith was questioned about the importance of living in her electorate in a video taken inside a state election candidates forum, which emerged on Wednesday.

“I live in Lismore Heights because I couldn’t afford a house in my own electorate,” she said.

The audience audibly gasps at the comments made in the midst of a local housing crisis.

“Until I am able to afford a place that meets my family’s needs, I’m living in a house in Lismore,” Ms Smith said.

“Even on an MP salary the banks would not lend me as a single person enough money to buy a house that meets my family‘s needs in Byron or Ballina Shire.

Ballina MP Tamara Smith.

“The housing crisis has pushed many residents out of our electorate.

“This will continue to happen until we see real reform of short term holiday letting and housing affordability in our region.”

Parliamentary records show Ms Smith owns three mortgaged properties.

She said at the forum, and in candidate profiles, her family have lived in the Northern Rivers since 1890.

Ms Smith’s comments come as communities across the north of the state struggle with housing affordability- worsened by last year’s record floods.