By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Who of your local Federal election candidates is responding to the growing void of affordable homes and rentals in Greater Dandenong?
Star Journal surveyed candidates in Bruce, Hotham and Isaacs over what is an ever more critical issue.
The municipality is in the top tiers of homelessness rates in Victoria, according to analysis by Council for Homeless Persons late last year.
The CHP called for more social housing in the area, especially given the dearth of affordable one- and two-bedroom dwellings.
In the latest Rental Report, there were 71 lettings in Greater Dandenong that were affordable to people on NewStart benefits.
None were one-bedroom residences, just 28 were two-bedroom properties.
According to an Anglicare Rental Affordability Snapshot in April, only two rentals across the country were affordable to Youth Allowance or NewStart recipients.
Bruce MP Julian Hill said an ALP Federal Government would build 250,000 affordable rental homes in the next decade for Australians on low and moderate incomes.
It would also encourage ‘Build to Rents’ with tax concessions, reform negative gearing, provide more transitional homes for women and children fleeing domestic violence, young people in out-of-home care and older women on low incomes.
Their policy also includes re-establishing a Housing and Homelessness Minister and increasing fees on overseas property investors.
Rise Up Australia Party Hotham candidate Peter Dorian said the ALP housing plan would “destroy the economy and the housing market, which would put everyone on welfare and the country … cast into a depression”.
“If you think housing affordability is something that can happen, you probably are already ignorant enough to vote for the ALP.”
Greens candidate in Bruce, Rhonda Garad, said social housing stock needed to be increased to ensure “we all have a home”.
“Young people are increasingly locked out of the housing market which means that the system is broken and we need to change the rules.
“Therefore, we support the dismantling of the rigged system that privileges investors and landlords over the rest of us.”
Hotham Greens candidate Jess Gonsalvez added that a rise in Rental Assistance, NewStart and Austudy payments as well as protecting penalty rates would reduce people on or below the poverty line.
“The Greens see housing as a right – our housing plan includes building 500,000 public or community homes.”
Dennis Bilic, standing for Sustainable Australia Party in Hotham, called for immigration cuts and the removal of negative gearing and capital tax concessions to encourage affordable home prices for young buyers.
United Australia Party Hotham candidate Jim Luan said interest on self-occupied home loans should be tax-deductible.
Tim Boyanton, Fraser Anning’s Conservative National Party candidate for Bruce, said the purchase of land should be reserved for citizens only.
Liberal candidates for Bruce and Hotham failed to respond by deadline.
