Building approvals in Tasmania have slumped to a five-year low as the minority Liberal government descends into chaotic disunity and dysfunction.
New data from the ABS shows the number of dwellings approved in August was down 2.5 per cent on the previous month – with a whopping 19 per cent decrease on last year.
Shockingly, fewer houses are being approved today than 40 years ago.
After 10 years of Liberal government, the issues in housing and planning in Tasmania are worse than ever, even though Tasmanians are crying out for affordable housing as rents continue to soar.
The solution to the housing crisis is to approve and build more houses – but instead, Jeremy Rockliff and the Liberals are completely consumed by their bitter internal war.
Tasmanian Labor, on the other hand, is focused on policies that will make a real difference to Tasmanians’ lives, including removing the roadblocks to development.
We will address one of the major barriers to getting developments off the ground, by removing unfair costs related to water, sewerage and power infrastructure.
Our Build to Rent program will see 1,000 additional rental properties built within five years.
Labor will get more people into home ownership by expanding the MyHome scheme, and we will increase the supply of social housing by urgently repairing 215 houses that remain untenantable.
Tasmanians need and deserve a government that is focused on the priorities that matter to them, including the housing crisis, soaring power prices and the skyrocketing cost of living – not a government consumed by its own chaos.
Luke Edmunds MLC
Shadow Minister for Planning
