Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll use my time to speak on the housing crisis currently gripping my state of Tasmania, and I don't use the term 'crisis' lightly. One in 10 residents of the Brighton LGA are at risk of homelessness. In Bridgewater and Gagebrook, which is around my office, that figure jumps to one in five. A young woman who my office is assisting is one of those five. I have written to the state housing minister and we are continuing to advocate on her behalf. She, of course, is beside herself at the prospect of homelessness. She is just one of the 4,500 Tasmanians who are now on the emergency list for housing—not the total list, just the emergency list. We're looking at a 72- to 78-week wait, on average. We will keep seeing sole parents coming into my office and begging for aid. We will keep hearing from shelters that are full to the brim. And, all the while, house prices and rentals continue to rise, with no action from this government to tackle the issue. An Albanese Labor government will create 20,000 homes for those in need, through a Housing Australia Future Fund. We'll achieve this in five years, creating 21,000 jobs in the process. Providing safety and shelter is not just right; it builds our nation. It builds back stronger, and that's what good government does. After eight long years, we desperately need to address the housing crisis.