UN report condemns housing
A United Nations report on housing in Australia has heavily criticised state and federal governments for failing to provide adequate housing for significant parts of the population.
The UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, Miloon Kothari, said he was “particularly troubled by the inadequate housing and living conditions he witnessed in some parts of the country given that Australia is one of the wealthiest developed countries with a comparatively small population.”
He accused the state and federal governments of failing to address long-standing problems in the provision of housing.
“The report by the UN Special Rapporteur raises very serious issues for the state government,” said Sylvia Hale, NSW Greens MP and spokesperson on housing.
“He visited a number of locations in NSW including Lightning Ridge and Sydney and his criticisms clearly are directed at housing standards in NSW as well as the national picture.”
The interim report, which has been presented to the Commonwealth government for comment before it is finalised, identifies widespread problems such as homelessness, a lack of affordable housing, dwindling public housing stock, waiting periods of up to 10 years for access to public housing and inadequate government provision for long-term safe housing, particularly in rural areas.
It says these problems are affecting a wide range of people, particularly vulnerable groups such as indigenous Australians, refugees, people with disabilities or health problems and those living in rural and remote communities.
During a recent Budget Estimates hearing Ms Hale asked the Director General of Housing, Mike Allen, about the NSW government’s response to the report. Mr Allen declined to comment on the report’s findings and did not commit to making any formal response to the report.
“The Labor government’s refusal to respond to this report shows how little it cares about providing access to adequate housing for the most vulnerable in our community. Despite international criticism of our inadequate housing standards the government continues to ignore the issue,” said Ms Hale.
The Greens will be moving a series of housing bills in parliament, the first one before the end of this parliamentary session. Ms Hale will introduce a private members bill aimed at ensuring all large housing developments include an expanded pool of affordable housing set aside for low to moderate income earners.
