Tasmania’s housing crisis is worse than ever despite the empty promises of the Hodgman Government and Housing Minister Roger Jaensch.
Updated data released today shows there has been no improvement in the waiting time of 56 weeks for public housing and only a miniscule shift in the number of families languishing on the waiting list.
“Roger Jaensch has nothing to brag about and everything to apologise for as he continues to badly fail the thousands of Tasmanians who are struggling to pay the rent and facing potential homelessness,” Ms Standen said.
“The housing waiting list has dropped by less than 20 applicants and 3,233 families are still waiting.
“It’s appalling that despite all the promises and despite all the spin, families are still having to wait 56 weeks – more than a year – for a home when this government just five years ago inherited a record low wait time of 20 weeks.
“Minister Jaensch can release as many glossy brochures as he sees fit but the stark reality is in the numbers – Tasmania’s housing and homelessness crisis shows no sign of improving under this Liberal Government.
“It’s incumbent on Minister Jaensch to provide an honest and comprehensive update of how many actual properties he has built since last July when he promised 900 houses would be completed by this June.
“By December only 236 homes had been built and Mr Jaensch should today be telling Tasmanians how many of the remaining 660 have now been completed.
“The reality is under this Minister and this government thousands of Tasmanians are in desperate situations and are facing a bleak winter because this government just does not consider providing public housing and preventing homelessness a priority.”
Alison Standen MP
Shadow Housing Minister
