2023-03-20
The Greens have today announced a plan to end homelessness in NSW through a massive investment in public, social and specialist housing, laws to stop people being evicted into homelessness, and requiring Parliament approval for any sell off of public housing.
Jenny Leong MP, Member for Newtown and NSW Greens Housing and Homelessness spokesperson said:
“NSW is in an unprecedented housing and homelessness crisis, and yet just days out from the election we’ve heard nothing of substance from the Liberal Nationals or NSW Labor about their plan to fix it.
“The number one issue that comes up when talking to people at train stations, on the streets, or while doorknocking is housing stress. Yet neither party vying to form government has put forward a big picture plan to fix the crisis.
“It is not good enough to simply offer slogans and piecemeal reform in an attempt to win votes when we know the housing crisis runs far deeper than stamp duty or changing the structure of the housing bureaucracy.
“It begs the question whether the silence from Perrottet and Minns is just the latest symptom of the ongoing influence of property developers and big investors who are profiting from this crisis.
“In the absence of any bold vision from NSW Labor or the Liberal Nationals – the Greens are stepping up and laying out a clear pathway for ending homelessness in NSW.
“The Greens will deliver a once-in-a-generation public and social housing investment project, legislate to stop the sell-off of public housing, mandate affordable housing in all new developments, and ensure that no one can be evicted into homelessness.
“Our plan will ensure we address the specific needs of First Nations people, older women, and people with disabilities who are at a greater risk of homelessness because of successive government failures.
“Minns and Perrottet must make ending homelessness the primary aim of the NSW 2041 Housing Strategy – anything less is condoning people sleeping in cars, stuck in unsafe overcrowded share houses, or the impossible choice between buying food and keeping a roof over their head.
“Just like the Liberal National Coalition and NSW Labor finally jumped on board with the Greens and housing experts' call to end unfair evictions for renters, they now have the choice to take real action to end homelessness.”