Next year, Victoria’s social housing wait list will grow to cover 100,000 Victorians. That means as many people as would fill the MCG, will be waiting for a home.
The State’s peak body for people who live in public housing and people on the wait list estimate that the number of Victorians covered by an application for social housing will reach 100,000 in 2020.
That’s equivalent to the capacity of the MCG, or:
- Around the combined capacity of Marvel Stadium (56,347) and Caulfield Racecourse (50,000), or;
- More than the population of regional centres like Bendigo (93,761) or Ballarat (92,384) or;
- More than double the population of Shepparton (46,194) or;
- More than three times the capacity of AAMI Park (30,050).
“Think about the roar of the crowd at a packed game at the ‘G, the characters, colours and life. Now imagine if every single one of those men, women and children were waiting for a safe, appropriate and affordable place to return home to. Next year, that will be reality for Victoria,” said Executive Officer of the Victorian Public Tenants’ Association (VPTA), Mark Feenane.
Safe, appropriate and affordable housing is the building block for a happy and productive life. Without it, children do not benefit from the same educational outcomes as their peers, and physical and mental health suffer.
There are currently 50,145 applications on the Victorian Housing Register (the joint public and community housing wait list). Many applications are on behalf of a family, or multiple people. Each month, 500 more applications are added.
According to the Productivity Commission’s 2019 Report on Government Services, the number of allocations made in to public housing has significantly declined, from 5,740 in the 2013-14 financial year, to only 4,830 in the 2017-18 financial year. This represents a drop of 15.8 per cent.
Caring communities, like those in Victoria, are full of people who look out for one another.
Mr Feenane said:
“We often hear our leaders tell us that budgets are about priorities.
Victorians are inclusive, and we celebrate our diversity.
Our Budget submission calls for the urgent construction of more public housing – because we believe that a key priority for a community like Victoria will always be ensuring that all those who need a home, have one.”
Read the full Budget Submission here.