Social Housing Waiting List

(1) Is the minister aware that the provision of affordable housing is an essential component in any charity to reduce poverty?

(2) Can the minister confirm that there are 24 548 applications on the waitlist for social housing, yet there are plans to build only 4 611 social houses over the next four years?

(3) What is state Treasury’s contribution to the Department of Housing budget for the purpose of increasing social housing stock?

(4) Why is the state government not investing more in a healthy social housing sector?

Hon NORMAN MOORE replied:

I thank the member for some notice of this question:

(1) Yes.

(2) No, the member is incorrect. The 4 611 figure referred to in the question relates to an earlier projection of growth in total social housing stock in the 2007–08 to 2010–11 period. The Labor government delivered a mere 1 787 new houses in its seven years in office even though the Labor government had record state surpluses during the resources-based period of the period. Since coming into government, the Liberal–National government has delivered 1 891 new houses—this is a record delivery. In addition, approximately 1 000 new homes will be delivered over the next few months.

(3) Taxpayers’ contribution to social housing is outlined in the state budget papers. In 2009–10, $542.603 million for social housing was budgeted for. This is a record expenditure.

(4) The state government is investing in a healthy social housing sector to arrange initiatives, including growing the not-for-profit housing sector, improving the supply of affordable housing and helping people transition in and out of social housing according to need.