Monique Ryan (Kooyong, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australians are dealing with an unprecedented housing crisis three decades in the making. Rising interest rates, cost-of-living pressures, soaring building costs and a growing housing shortfall have led to decreasing homeownership rates and a critical shortage of rentals.

Many first home buyers are losing hope of ever buying a house unless they can receive financial support from their parents. All levels of government and politicians have to address this issue. Federally, it has been extremely disappointing to see the Liberals, the Nationals and the Greens refusing to work with the government and the crossbench on housing reform. At the same time, the Victorian state government has announced sweeping plans to allow very large-scale developments in electorates like Kooyong without giving communities the appropriate reassurance that they need and deserve about how we can increase housing density sensitively, prioritising good planning, inclusiveness, sustainability and local amenities.

Every policy lever needs to be pulled on housing. Our communities know that, and they deserve better from their politicians. We have to remember that housing is a human right, and we have to work together consultatively and conscientiously so that the next generation can afford to live in well-designed, sustainable homes in our cities and not on the peripheries, close to their family and close to their friends.