Inquiry into the Public Housing Renewal Program

On 9 August 2017, the Legislative Council agreed to the following motion:

That, pursuant to Sessional Order 6, this House requires the Legal and Social Issues Committee to inquire into, consider and report, no later than 20 March 2018, on the Victorian Government’s plan to sell a majority of the public land on existing public housing estates for private development under the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Public Housing Renewal Program (PHRP), and, in particular the Committee should consider:

1. the adequacy of a proposed 10 per cent increase in public housing (or 1,100 public units) on the sites given the size of the waiting list for public housing;
2. the ability to cater for all demographics including families, couples and singles with the proposed housing mix;
3. the effects on current public housing tenants, including; a. whether they will be moved to accommodation that is secure, stable and fit for purpose; b. whether they will be moved to accommodation that is close to existing social support networks, educational, health and welfare services; b. whether current tenants will be able to return to the estates.
4. the allocation of parts of the sites between the proposed new public and private housing units;
5. the lack of public condition assessments of the estates or alternative options such as refurbishment of all or part of the existing housing units;
6. the proposed significant increase in density and heights and any local environmental impacts, such as the loss of open space and mature vegetation;
7. the removal of planning controls from local councils, and planning implications surrounding communities including existing neighbourhood character, traffic flow and provisions of services;
8. the proposed loss of third party appeal rights;
9. the transparency and genuine community consultation with affected residents, neighbouring communities and the broader Victorian community regarding the short, medium and long term implications of the PHRP model as currently proposed;
10. public housing estates where similar models are envisaged or underway, including — a. Markham Avenue, Ashburton; b. Koolkuna Lane, Hampton; and c. the corner of Stokes Street and Penola Street, Preston;
11. previous Victorian public housing renewal projects, including but not limited to the Kensington, Carlton and Prahran public housing estates;
12. best practice models for the provision of public housing from within Australia and overseas;
13. and any other matters the Committee considers relevant.