Tuesday, 28 November 2023

 Samantha RATNAM (Northern Metropolitan) (12:10): (367) My question is to the Minister for Housing. Minister, the government is planning to demolish 44 public housing towers across the state. Will there be any public housing rebuilt at each of the 44 sites set for demolition?

The PRESIDENT: The reason I am making funny faces, sorry, is that I do not think the same question can be asked within a six-month period. I can be wrong, but was that question asked in the previous week?

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: I will give the benefit of the doubt that it is not exactly the same, and I will put the question to the minister.

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:11): Thanks, Dr Ratnam, for this question again. As you are aware and as this chamber is aware, we are investing in the redevelopment of 44 sites around metropolitan Melbourne where towers have been since they were first constructed in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. In developing these sites, we will address not only the challenges of an insufficient supply of housing but also the importance of providing support and secure accommodation to people most in need.

Dr Ratnam, I would again caution against any attempt to create a division in the way in which social housing is delivered. I would hate to conclude that the Greens are opposed in some way, shape or form to the delivery of community housing, the delivery of housing for vulnerable cohorts. When we look at the configuration of the sites across Melbourne at the moment, we will be moving from a density capability of about 10,000 up to around 30,000 across those sites. This will be a mix of housing. It will be social housing, it will be affordable housing and it will be market housing that is developed to meet the longer term needs of this state as part of the housing statement’s very ambitious and yet achievable target of 80,000 homes a year for the next 10 years.

The answer to your question, Dr Ratnam, is that social housing will receive a 10 per cent uplift across these sites, which –

Samantha Ratnam: On a point of order, President, just on relevance, my question was quite specific. I will not repeat it, because you have warned us in the chamber not to repeat the question. I would like the minister to answer my question, please.

The PRESIDENT: I did not warn you not to repeat this question today. I was just concerned that it was a question being asked within the six-month remit in which you cannot ask the same question. But I think the minister was actually answering the question just before you put the point of order. The minister is being relevant, and I will ask her to continue.

Harriet SHING: We will be investing a record amount of funding into making sure that social housing is delivered across these sites, including with a 10 per cent uplift in the number of homes across these sites.

Again, Dr Ratnam, I would urge you to provide accurate information to people in our communities who you are talking with, as opposed to any campaign of a cheap, lowest common denominator approach that seeks to create division and fear within communities about the fact that social housing delivers accommodation, supports, services and care to people most in need. I would urge you also to perhaps get out and talk with some of the people who provide these services. They do a power of good every day, and they deserve more than to have you decrying their efforts at every opportunity.

 Samantha RATNAM (Northern Metropolitan) (12:15): Minister, I note your response, and I think it is quite extraordinary that you refuse to provide clarity and then accuse people of spreading misinformation when you refuse to provide clarity on a very simple, straightforward question. You failed to mention the words ‘public housing’ in your response despite my very direct question on advice and direction previously received in this chamber. Minister, how much land will be privatised either via sale or lease to private developers across all 44 public housing tower sites?

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:15): Dr Ratnam, I am going to address the preamble of your supplementary, because frankly it is beyond irresponsible that you come into this chamber and you peddle disinformation – not just here but across communities – about the fact that this housing build is about delivering record housing for people in need.

Samantha Ratnam interjected.

Harriet SHING: I will take up that interjection. You are going to go out there and you are going to say to people that there will not be public housing across our sites. Shame on you, Dr Ratnam. Shame on you for actually seeking to peddle a narrative that could not be further from the truth. Dr Ratnam, when I think about the red brick towers in Carlton, you did not even know that they were empty. The Greens had no idea that they were empty. Just by way of example, those red brick towers, funded by the Commonwealth in terms of redevelopment as part of the $496.5 million social housing accelerator, will be 100 per cent public housing. Do not let that destroy your narrative, however, that we are not investing in record funding.