Ahead of the Federal Election, Anglicare Australia has made an urgent plea to boost social housing across the country.
The call is made as Anglicare Australia launches new heat maps showing the scale of the housing crisis electorate by electorate across the country, based on data from Anglicare Australia’s Rental Affordability Snapshot.
“Australia’s housing crisis has never been worse. No part of the country has been spared. These maps show that rents are shooting up in towns and regions, and that our cities have never been more expensive,” said Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers.
“We keep hearing that this election is about living costs, but housing is the biggest cost facing Australians. People on low incomes don’t stand a chance. Just 0.6% of rentals are affordable for a full-time worker on the minimum wage. For a person out of work, it’s 0%.
“Voters are desperate for action. Instead, parties are promising more of the same. At best, there are plans that don’t match the scale of the crisis. At worst, there are schemes that could push prices up.
“We’re calling on the next parliament to raise JobSeeker and other payments above the poverty line. If we don’t, people out of work will be pushed deeper into housing stress and even homelessness.
“We’re calling on Governments at every level to work together to protect people from rent increases they can’t afford.
“And we’re calling for a big boost to affordable housing. Our shortfall is massive. We need 640,000 new social homes across Australia. Investing in social housing is the most powerful way to make the market more affordable, giving homes to people in housing stress and making more affordable rentals available for everyone else.
“We’re asking all parties and candidates to walk the talk, and join us to end this crisis for good,” Ms Chambers said.
To explore rental affordability in your electorate, visit www.anglicare.asn.au/heat-maps