The Victorian government is boasting that its $5.3 billion Big Housing Build will construct more than 12,000 new homes in Victoria and that 25% of that number will be delivered in regional Victoria.
Nationals Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, has written to the Housing Minister seeking details of the homes to be built in his electorate of Gippsland East.
“There is a critical shortage of rental housing in East Gippsland which has been made worse by the loss of housing stock in the 2019-2020 bushfires,” said Mr Bull.
“The recently introduced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act and a strong property market have encouraged some landlords to sell their rented investment.
“This too is adversely impacting on the availability of social and affordable housing.
“My office receives phone calls regularly from people desperately seeking a roof over their heads.
“Temporary emergency accommodation can usually be found by our hard-working housing services for those who are homeless, but much more needs to be done to increase housing stock.
“Based on the Gippsland East electorate’s proportion of the total Victorian population, approximately 130 new homes should be built here.
“With the Grocon bushfire clean-up in mind I’ll also be watching to see that the government complies with its Local Jobs First policy for maximum local content in their construction.
“In my letter I have asked the Minister to state exactly how many of these new homes will be built in East Gippsland, where they will be built and the time frame for their completion.
“People on public housing waiting lists in towns including Heyfield, Maffra, Bairnsdale, Lakes Entrance and Orbost deserve to have certainty about this most basic human need,” said Mr Bull.
Caption: Gippsland East Nationals MP Tim Bull is calling on the Housing Minister to provide details on East Gippsland’s share of the 12,000 new homes it is promising to construct under its Big Housing Build.

Lakes Entrance image courtesy of Visit Victoria Content Hub