Residents say Labor’s $10bn public housing policy won’t fix need for basic repairs

Residents in Sydney’s Waterloo social housing estate have decried the lack of funding for basic repairs and liveability upgrades in Labor’s Housing Australia Future Fund policy.

Public housing tenant David Cummins in his flat at Waterloo in Sydney. Picture: John Feder/The Australian

Residents in Sydney’s Waterloo social housing estate have decried the lack of funding for basic repairs and liveability upgrades in Labor’s Housing Australia Future Fund policy.

Worth $10bn, the policy promises to deliver 20,000 new social houses and 10,000 affordable homes for frontline workers such as emergency and health care workers services in its first five years.

There would be $100m for crisis and transitional housing for women and children fleeing domestic violence, and older women at risk of homelessness, with a total of $1.6bn for long-term housing for women.

An additional $200m would be spent on upgrades and maintenance of houses in remote indigenous communities.

But the policy does not mention funding for basic day-to-day repairs including plumbing, electrical maintenance and mould removal in social dwellings.

It’s an oversight that left some tenants at the Waterloo estate frustrated and angry, with many pointing out Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese’s own experience growing up in social housing in Sydney’s inner-west

Resident David Cummins, 62, told The Australian he had paid for water leakage repairs and mould removal after four years trying to have the issues rectified.

“If something is broken or needs to be done it doesn’t happen – walls that have holes in them, doors that don’t work – it took me 13 years to get a magnet installed for my door because it wouldn’t stay open,” he said.

“It frustrates and angers me … when it comes out of my own pocket to get rid of mould and repair holes in my walls do you think that’s fair?”

Mr Cummins, who has had two major back operations, said he was unable to clean persistent mould in his home, and ongoing leakages in his bathroom.

“I cannot physically do what’s needed here, and I don’t have the money,” he said.

Waterloo Public Housing Action Group chairman and resident Richard Weeks said the lack of support for basic living standards was endemic at the estate.

Waterloo Public Housing Action Group chairman Richard Weeks. Picture: John Feder/The Australian.

Mr Weeks said he believed Mr Albanese had a” big heart” but added there was a sentiment in the community the basic premise of the policy was “impossible.”

“There’s no funding for it, they’ll blame the opposition or opposing parties when it doesn’t work … we’re familiar with their tricks,” Mr Weeks said.

“From our perspective, we don’t need more social housing, we need affordable housing.”

Community Housing Industry Association NSW (CHIA) CEO Mark Degotardi said there was a “chronic” under-investment in the maintenance of social homes, noting most were more than 40-years-old.

“CHIA NSW has called on the NSW government to provide at least $250m in comprehensive repairs and maintenance programs for social housing to bring these homes up to scratch by 2025,” he told The Australian.

“The government will have to invest much more in renewing and increasing its social housing stock if it wants to avoid increasing maintenance costs on properties no longer fit-for-purpose.”

Resident and tenant representative Rebecca Reddin said support services for people looking to access repairs was crucial. “I’ve had to help people who … don’t realise how to go about those conversations, and they can really end up in distress,” she said.

NSW housing peak body group Shelter NSW senior policy officer Cathy Callaghan warned the time it took to build new dwellings could lead to significant health risks for residents.