2022-05-02
The Greens will push to build 118,900 homes in Western Australia over the next twenty years as part of their plan to build one million affordable homes across Australia to tackle the housing crisis.
To do this, the Greens will establish a Federal Housing Trust to construct and manage dwellings in partnership with states, territories and community housing providers. The national Greens build will end homelessness, slash housing waiting lists, provide housing options for people locked out of the housing market and create thousands of jobs. Three-quarters of all homes will be built for low-income renters who are eligible for public housing, with the remainder to be evenly split as affordable rentals and properties for purchase through shared ownership with the Commonwealth.
The federal policy has been fully costed by the independent Parliamentary Budget Office and will reduce the fiscal balance by $7.5 billion over the forward estimates period. The full Greens ‘Homes for All’ policy is available on the Australian Greens website.
According to the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, 68,300 additional social housing dwellings will be needed in Greater Perth over a twenty year period. Outside of Perth, 18,200 additional dwellings will be needed across WA. The Greens build for Western Australia will surpass this projected shortfall and build 93,900 homes in Greater Perth and 25,000 outside of Perth, creating more than 6,300 jobs in the process.
Total Need (AHURI) ('000)
Total Build ('000)Low Income housing ('000)
Universal access housing ('000)
Shared equity ('000)
Total Jobs
Ongoing Employment
Ongoing Apprenticeships
Greater Perth
68.3
93.970.4
11.7
11.7
4,226
3,841
384
Rest of WA
18.2
25.018.8
3.1
3.1
1,126
1,024
102
Australian Greens Housing spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi will be in Perth on Monday 11 April to announce the policy alongside WA Greens Senator Dorinda Cox.
Latest data sees rental vacancy rates at an all time low in WA, with a growing surge in rental prices and increased competition for renters, many of whom are struggling to find affordable housing.
Senators Cox and Faruqi are hosting a Housing town-hall style forum in Perth on the evening of 11 April to discuss the housing crisis and the Greens plan to solve it.
The Greens have also announced policies on strengthening renters’ rights and winding back negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount in order to solve the housing crisis and provide a home for all.
Lines attributable to Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Greens spokesperson for Housing:
“Safe, secure, high-quality housing is a human right, not a privilege reserved only for those who are able to afford to pay through the nose for it.
“Under the Greens plan, people will be able to afford to rent or purchase a property where they want to live.
“People who have been locked out of a home due to skyrocketing prices and a housing system stacked against them will be able to own a high-quality sustainable house and make it their home.
Lines attributable to Senator Dorinda Cox, Greens Senator for WA:
“Every West Australian deserves a roof over their heads, and a safe place to call home.
“In a property market rigged for speculators and wealthy investors, buying a home is well out of reach for most people. In WA, it’s currently too expensive for many people to both pay rent and save for a deposit. The Greens plan to address WA’s housing crisis tackles this head-on.
“Whether you are renting a home or buying one, a housing system should work for people, not profit.”
STATEMENT ENDS
1. Costing is available on the PBO website: https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Budget_Office/Publications/Costings
2. Available: https://greens.org.au/sites/default/files/2021-11/2.2.1%20Homes%20for%20All.pdf
3. AHURI (2018), Social housing as infrastructure: An investment pathway. Available: https://www.ahuri.edu.au/sites/default/files/migration/documents/AHURI-Final-Report-306-Social-housing-as-infrastructure-an-investment-pathway.pdf
DOWNLOAD: Greens launch plan for WA housing
