JULIE COLLINS:
So, I might start with an opening statement. It's terrific to be here with Minister Ellis. This is our first official event for us together since he became the Minister for Housing. What we're here today to talk about is, of course, a $7 million investment in 15 new homes for Tasmanians that need them most. This has been funded through primarily a federal government grant through the Social Housing Accelerator and some money from the state government. But what this is about is about providing more homes for Tasmanians that need them most. It's about making sure that these homes are accessible so that people can age in place and, importantly, that they're energy efficient to reduce and put downward pressure on the tenant’s electricity bills. The people going into these Social Housing Accelerator homes will be coming off the social housing waiting list.
This is part of the federal government's $2 billion dollar Social Housing Accelerator. Since we've come to office now, we've invested more than $25 billion over the next decade in additional investments in housing, including here in Tasmania. Indeed, since the Albanese Labor government has come to office, we've now provided the Tasmanian state government with over $120 million in funding for housing and homelessness services. We look forward to continuing to work together so that we can deliver more homes for Tasmanians. I’ll hand over to Minister Ellis.
FELIX ELLIS:
Thanks, Julie, and look, this is a fantastic partnership between Tasmania and the Commonwealth, so that we can back in Tasmanians doing it tough. We want to work collaboratively with the Commonwealth, with Julie as the Federal Minister, and that will drive greater outcomes for Tasmanians. We know that there's big opportunities as we deliver on our ambitious targets of 10,000 new social and affordable homes, but what it means for everyday families is it's about taking pressure off the cost of living and putting a roof over the heads of Tasmanians who need it most. As part of this important partnership, the federal government has provided significant new funds and through our innovative Homes Tasmania model, we will be looking forward to delivering these new homes for these families in a modern, energy efficient and accessible format. So, do you want to add anything to my remarks? Or happy to take questions?
JOURNALIST:
Can I do Felix first – is that alright? When was this deal first signed up? How new is this development here?
ELLIS:
I’ll hand over to Eleri [inaudible]
ELERI MORGAN‑THOMAS:
So, the Commonwealth funding came from the Commonwealth just before the end of last financial year and we were ready to go, and the development application has been approved and we're in the process now of just lining up contractors to finish the design and build.
JOURNALIST:
What will the cost to Homes Tas and the state government be?
MORGAN‑THOMAS:
Ah, the total cost for this development is $9.6 million.
JOURNALIST:
Can you tell us about exactly how many homes are going to be in here?
MORGAN‑THOMAS:
15 homes and they're a mix of one‑ and 2‑bedroom apartments, which reflects the needs of people who are on the Social Housing Register. That's the highest demand is for one and 2 bedrooms, so that's what we're building here.
JOURNALIST:
It's not a huge site, will they be sort of on top of each other a little bit?
MORGAN‑THOMAS:
They're all built to the silver liveable design, which means that you need an accessible bathroom and kitchen and stuff on the ground floor, but some of them are 2 storeys, and you can have other bedrooms upstairs, or one bedroom upstairs if it's a 2 bedroom. But yeah, they'll all be accessible, so they will all be suitable for people who are on walking frames or have mobility issues, which is increasingly the people that we are housing.
JOURNALIST:
This is our second job in 2 days in the Northern Suburbs. Can you talk to us about the housing needs of people out here at the moment?
MORGAN‑THOMAS:
Well, there's people waiting on the Housing Register, waiting for housing. There is a high demand everywhere in Tasmania. It's no, it's higher here because there's a bigger population in Tasmania, I mean here in Hobart, but largely, like I said, it’s people looking for one‑ and 2‑bedroom properties.
JOURNALIST:
And that's the bulk of what you've got on the register out here?
MORGAN‑THOMAS:
Yes, yes.
JOURNALIST:
Great. Thank you so much.
ELLIS:
I might just add Adam as well, that one of the strategies that we're really looking to do as part of our Tasmanian Housing Strategy is backing in more medium density development so that we can effectively bring on more homes for Tasmanians, and this is a great example of that. Bringing more opportunities, more roofs over heads for Tasmanian families on the existing parcels of land that we've got in densely populated suburbs, like the Northern Suburbs of Hobart.
JOURNALIST:
So, this is one example of collaboration. What can we expect to see from the state and federal government’s going forward in terms of addressing housing?
COLLINS:
Well, obviously the Social Housing Accelerator is funding we have already provided to the Tasmanian Government. I understand that will build around 110 new homes in Tasmania, that $50 million we have already provided. As I've said already, we have provided $122 million since we came to office to the Tasmanian Government for housing and homelessness services. We also have the next round of the Housing Australia Future Fund, the National Housing Accord that have been opened, and we have committed out of Housing Australia over the next 5 years to build 1,200 homes here in Tasmania from those funds. So, there is significant investment coming from the Commonwealth to homes in Tasmania. I think you'd be hard pressed to find homes going up in Tasmania, particularly homes for social housing and affordable housing, that won't have federal government funds in them in the coming years because we have invested, as I said, more than $25 billion now over the next decade in new money into housing for Tasmanians and Australians.
JOURNALIST:
Are you satisfied with the speed at which that accelerated funding is being spent by the Tasmanian Government and Homes Tas?
COLLINS:
Well, obviously, as Housing Minister we want to see homes get out of the ground as fast as we can. There are due processes to go through, but what we want to see is homes built as quickly as we can get them built. What we have is money on the table, which we have provided to the Tasmanian Government. We want to see more homes as quickly as we can get the homes out of the ground. This is great advancement today – we're talking here about 15 homes. I've already announced the other 30 homes in town and as I said around 110 homes. Part of the condition of that funding we have provided to the Tasmanian Government is they have to have built and contracted the homes within a certain period, and I expect that that will be occurring.
JOURNALIST:
So, you're satisfied at the speed at which is happening at the moment?
COLLINS:
I'd always like it faster. Of course. You know, we always want to see Tasmanians housed as quickly as we can, but what we're doing is working together as quickly as we can to get homes on the ground as fast as we can. The federal government, in this case, has provided the bulk of the funding here. We want to continue to invest, as I've said, through Housing Australia, we want to get homes on the ground as fast as we can.
JOURNALIST:
Can I, just ask one on housing and homelessness to Julie, sorry?
COLLINS:
Yeah, go for it.
JOURNALIST:
Where are the areas that you are noticing homelessness is the worst at the moment? And is that particularly bad in the north state? Or is it the areas you've been focusing on recently such as today?
COLLINS:
Well, obviously homelessness is a really significant issue here in Tasmania and around the country, which is why the federal government has provided the states with more money for homelessness funding. The states, of course, are also lifting. What we've been very clear about is no tier of government is going to solve this alone, we need to all be working together. We need to all be investing more and that's what you're seeing from the Commonwealth Government. In terms of where homeless people in Tasmania are currently residing, what we would like to do is get them all into some form of emergency or transitional accommodation and then into permanent housing. We have also been investing as a federal government in some of that transitional accommodation here in Tasmania and elsewhere. What we want to do is provide homes for people when they need it. We have got a huge backlog, we have less homes than the OECD average in Australia. We have years and years of building to catch up on, and I want to do it as fast as we can.
JOURNALIST:
I just wanted to check, Felix likes medium density housing in Tasmania. That is what the government has said is a big gap. The Property Council feels the same way. Is that a view shared by federal Labor and by you as Housing Minister?
COLLINS:
Well, National Cabinet decided last August we need planning and zoning reforms here in Tasmania and right across the country. Every Premier in the country agreed to do planning and zoning reforms. There's a blueprint of reforms with 17 measures in them. We expect every state and territory to do the reforms they have said they would do.
JOURNALIST:
Medium density housing providers gets fought pretty hard in Tassie though–
COLLINS:
Medium density where it's appropriate is absolutely going to be necessary. We have too many Tasmanians and too many Australians without a place to live and we need to do better, and it's better for everybody, for services, for cost and for the environment if we have more density where it's appropriate.
JOURNALIST:
Can I just ask you one on another topic? And then you can jump out of it after that if you want. Climate 200 is targeting the federal seat of Franklin. Do you, do you welcome that?
COLLINS:
Look, it's a democracy. I represent the people of Franklin. I've had that privilege now for a little while. I work hard every day in the best interest of the people of Franklin, and I’ll continue to do that. I also, of course, as a local member of Franklin have a national role, which I've been out and about doing. I understand this group provided significant funding last federal election. It's a democracy. I look forward to the next election, as I always do, and continue to represent the people of Franklin to my best abilities.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think it is a reflection that the Labor Party has maybe not done as much as expected to address the climate crisis?
COLLINS:
Well, I think it is about people trying to influence policy. That is what democracy is all about, and I’m all for more people participating in democracy.