Shortfall in housing comes under fire

TASMANIA’S Housing Minister has been grilled about why such a small number of new homes have been built using funds from the waiving of the state’s housing debt.

During parliamentary budget estimates hearings, Roger Jaensch came under fire over the scheme which was meant to help deliver new homes to alleviate the housing crisis.

The $ 149.6m debt to the commonwealth was waived in September 2019 and at that time Mr Jaensch said the government estimated “this could mean around 80 more houses for people on the social housing waiting list across Tasmania, each year”.

But a report released this week showed just three were completed in the September quarter and a total of nine have been built to date.

Labor housing spokeswoman Alison Standen said the social housing waiting list at the end of June 2020 was about 3400 — about the same as 12 months earlier.

She questioned Mr Jaensch over his previous commitment 80 new homes would be built each year from the funding.

He said three social housing builds had been completed in the September quarter and 44 households were subsidised into private rentals.

Mr Jaensch’s office later confirmed debt- waiver funds were used to help the Migrant Resource Centre purchase the Elwick Cabins and Caravan Park site in Goodwood, which meant they could return their houses to the government.

There were 312 homes contracted or started under the debt- waiver scheme, the government said.