Everyone deserves a place to call home.
Right now, unaffordable housing and rental shortages are pricing young people and families out of their own neighbourhoods. I've heard from nurses, teachers, cleaners, allied health professionals, and small business owners - essential workers in our communities - about the housing problems they're facing locally.
Developers are not the ones losing in the national housing crisis, it's hardworking people who are the ones unable to get ahead. We need real, local solutions to increase regional housing supply, and that means fighting for our fair share of federal funding.
As an Independent, I'm championing more affordable and sustainable housing in well-designed neighbourhoods, where communities can thrive, and the natural environment that attracts people to the South West is protected.
It’s time for a new approach to finding solutions that work; we must work collaboratively within the federal parliament and at all levels of government to address the housing crisis. It is a complex problem without a simple solution and I'm willing to work hard to ensure we:
- Increase the amount of social and affordable housing built across our region
- Diversify the housing stock to cater for students, young professionals, multi-generational families and downsizing retirees
- Unlock regional housing supply through dedicated funding for essential infrastructure such as plumbing, roads and power connections
- Review our regional approach to short-term rentals and land banking
- Review tax incentives for multiple housing investments
- Ensure long-term rental security or rent-to-buy schemes for low income households
- Explore a temporary pause on foreign investment in residential housing
The housing crisis is an intergenerational challenge that requires big-picture, blue-sky thinking.