The first full year of the Malinauskas Labor Government and push to increase public housing stock has led to improved housing and homelessness services, according to new national data released.
The latest Report on Government Services shows South Australia is performing strongly in a series of key indicators, including the provision of affordable social housing and positive tenant ratings – ahead of the first real increase to public housing in a generation.
The report shows there are more than 45,000 social housing properties – homes managed by Housing SA or community organisations – in South Australia out of more than 425,000 across Australia.
With around 11 per cent of Australia’s social housing but a much lower share of the nation’s population, South Australia has 43 per cent more social housing than the national average. These homes provide critical support and stability to tens of thousands of low income households – who are often hit hardest by cost of living pressures.
The Productivity Commission also noted tenant feedback across the sector was largely positive, with an average household rating of 75 per cent or above for measures like amenity, location and condition.
The Malinauskas Government is building a Better Housing Future on this solid foundation so more people and their families can find a place to call home, underpinned by three major investment programs that have all commenced since the March 2022 election:
- Public Housing Improvement Program – $232.7 million from the State Government for 564 new homes, 350 major upgrades and additional maintenance on 3,000 homes.
- Social Housing Accelerator – $135.8 million secured from the Commonwealth to deliver around 300 new social housing homes in SA; and
- Housing Australia Future Fund – $10 billion fund to support 30,000 social and affordable homes around Australia with an aim for around 2,000 in SA.
This massive new investment, combined with stopping the former Liberal Government’s plan to sell 580 public housing properties, will deliver the first proper increase to public housing in a generation.
South Australia also recorded the lowest rate of overcrowding anywhere in Australia, at just 2.5 per cent of public housing compared to 4.1 per cent nationally, and the second-highest result for helping people move into independent housing from homelessness – nearly half of those who received support (48.2 per cent) achieved this in SA compared to around one-in-three nationally (34.1 per cent).
As put by Nat Cook
I am so proud to be part of team including both state and federal Labor governments that know we have to invest in social and affordable housing for the good of the country.
By stabilising our public housing system, hundreds more people have a safe and stable roof over their heads today compared to what would have happened under the Liberal Government’s policies.
The public housing system has been in decline for 30 years but today we see that turning around – and the hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment that we have secured will see more people with safe, stable and secure housing.
