Housing inquiry’s fate may rest in Speaker Sue Hickey’s hands as State Parliament resumes

The Liberal Government faces a test of its unity in State Parliament this week as Labor prepares to move a motion pushing for an inquiry into the housing crisis.

THE Liberal Government faces a test of its unity in State Parliament this week as Labor prepares to move a motion pushing for an inquiry into the housing crisis.

Labor’s Housing spokeswoman Alison Standen said there was an urgent need for an inquiry into housing affordability, the availability of public housing and growing homelessness.

Speaker Sue Hickey at Windsor Court in Glenorchy. She says she wants something done about the state of public housing in Hobart. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor has indicated her party is inclined to support the motion, leaving the likely casting vote in the hands of Speaker Sue Hickey.

Ms Hickey has in recent weeks been vocal about housing issues — in particular what she says is the neglect of Housing Tasmania properties near Hobart.

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Ms Standen said the need for an inquiry had been thrown into stark focus by recent figures showing public housing waiting lists were ballooning.

“Unfortunately the situation for housing and homelessness for people in Hobart and right across Tasmania has gone from a terrible situation to even worse,” she said.

“Five years ago this Government inherited public housing wait list that was at a decade-long low.

“Now, five years later. the public housing waiting list unfortunately shows that more than 3200 families are awaiting public housing and the wait list has unfortunately also increased from some 20 weeks to now 56 weeks on average.

“Seventy-five per cent of those families are of the highest priority category and that’s simply not good enough.”

Labor’s Josh Willie and Alison Standen talking to reporters ahead of a vote on the ALP’s call for a housing inquiry. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Labor says the Hodgman Government has failed to adequately plan, accurately forecast, resource or act on the range of issues impacting on housing supply.

The terms of reference for the proposed inquiry include:

Experiences of Tasmanians in housing stress or homelessness;

Management of social housing and delivery of new stock by Housing Tasmania and community housing providers;

Impact of a lack of affordable housing on the broader economic and social wellbeing of the Tasmanian community;

Effectiveness and limitations of current State and Federal Government strategies and services to alleviate the impact of poor housing affordability in the Tasmanian community; and

Impact of historic housing debt on the management and delivery of social housing.

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