5 years ago
TURNBULL WON’T FIX HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS CRISIS
SENATOR THE HON DOUG CAMERON
Labor Senator Doug Cameron will tell today’s National Homelessness Conference at the MCG that homelessness and housing affordability has reached crisis point across the nation. Senator Cameron said in five years of the Abbott/Turnbull Government, they have not shown the leadership or will to address the crisis which is seeing young people and older women fall into homelessness at alarming rates. Four reports released in the past week by ACOSS, Mission Australia, the University of Melbourne and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare all reached the same conclusion.
Namely, that inequality of wealth and income is widening in Australia and this is radically reshaping our once egalitarian society.
“These reports all show that falling rates of home-ownership, increased rental stress, worsening housing affordability and flat-lining income growth are combining to put immense pressure on the housing choices available to vulnerable Australians,” he said.
“This crisis requires national leadership, long-term planning and a holistic approach, all of which are beyond the capabilities and priorities of the Turnbull Government.”
Senator Cameron said conservative rhetorical responses such as “equality of opportunity” and “the best form of welfare is a job” completely ignore the reality for disadvantaged Australians.
“We need policies that are strongly informed by an equity and fairness agenda,” Senator Cameron said.
“What we don’t need is more failed neo-liberal nonsense that insults our intelligence and economic logic by suggesting massive tax cuts for the big banks and multinationals will fix the issue.”
Senator Cameron also warned about increased exclusionary zoning that is used to protect house values, schools and communities in affluent areas. He said zoning becomes exclusionary when planning laws exist to solely to separate households based on their economic resources.
A Shorten Labor government has already committed to: Developing and implementing a national plan to reduce homelessness through the Council of Australian Governments Providing $88 million over two years for a new Safe Housing Fund to increase transitional housing options for women and children escaping domestic and family violence, young people exiting out-of-home care and older women on low incomes who are at risk of homelessness Reinstating both a Minister for Housing and Homelessness and the National Housing Supply Council Reforming negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions, along with other reforms to improve housing supply and affordability Only Labor has a suite of policies to combat rising homelessness and improve housing affordability, and we will have more to say in the lead up to the next election.
Namely, that inequality of wealth and income is widening in Australia and this is radically reshaping our once egalitarian society.
“These reports all show that falling rates of home-ownership, increased rental stress, worsening housing affordability and flat-lining income growth are combining to put immense pressure on the housing choices available to vulnerable Australians,” he said.
“This crisis requires national leadership, long-term planning and a holistic approach, all of which are beyond the capabilities and priorities of the Turnbull Government.”
Senator Cameron said conservative rhetorical responses such as “equality of opportunity” and “the best form of welfare is a job” completely ignore the reality for disadvantaged Australians.
“We need policies that are strongly informed by an equity and fairness agenda,” Senator Cameron said.
“What we don’t need is more failed neo-liberal nonsense that insults our intelligence and economic logic by suggesting massive tax cuts for the big banks and multinationals will fix the issue.”
Senator Cameron also warned about increased exclusionary zoning that is used to protect house values, schools and communities in affluent areas. He said zoning becomes exclusionary when planning laws exist to solely to separate households based on their economic resources.
A Shorten Labor government has already committed to: Developing and implementing a national plan to reduce homelessness through the Council of Australian Governments Providing $88 million over two years for a new Safe Housing Fund to increase transitional housing options for women and children escaping domestic and family violence, young people exiting out-of-home care and older women on low incomes who are at risk of homelessness Reinstating both a Minister for Housing and Homelessness and the National Housing Supply Council Reforming negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions, along with other reforms to improve housing supply and affordability Only Labor has a suite of policies to combat rising homelessness and improve housing affordability, and we will have more to say in the lead up to the next election.