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Failed promised 2026 Commonwealth Games housing in Latrobe Valley leaves homelessness crisis unaddressed

Labor's decision to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games has left the Latrobe Valley in despair, breaking promises of affordable housing and worsening the homelessness crisis, with no clear plan in sight.

By news@gippsland - 24th July 2023 - Back to News

The Latrobe Valley has been betrayed by the Labor government as the reality of the decision to scrap the 2026 Commonwealth Games bites hard. Labor had promised a significant boost to housing in the area as part of the now doomed plan to bring the Games to regional Victoria. The cornerstone was an athletes' village, to be built in Morwell, to house as many as 1000 participants before being converted into affordable housing.

Latrobe Valley betrayed as Labor scraps 2026 Commonwealth Games, breaking housing development pledges

Dormant housing project

A 4.4 ha site in English St now lays dormant amid new flimsy promises from the government. There had been a deadline of March, 2026, for athletes' village, but there is now no deadline on when housing will be built on the site as life continues to get harder under Labor.

Leader of the Nationals and Shadow Minister of Regional development, Peter Walsh, and the Nationals' Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath, visited the site today. "No deadline and no guarantees. The local community should have serious doubts about this ever happening. It's another example of how the Latrobe Valley has been abandoned," Mr Walsh said.

Affordable housing crisis

Ms Bath said Labor must keep its promise. "Affordable housing is needed in Gippsland now - statistics show there is an alarming increase in homelessness in the region. The rising cost of living has made it increasingly challenging for renters to access a safe and secure roof above their heads," Ms Bath said.

Sarah Copland, Pastor at Enjoy Gippsland, painted a stark picture of the homelessness issue in the Latrobe Valley. "We are seeing an increase in the number of people stuck in a cycle of unsuitable transitional housing, homelessness and experiencing food insecurity," Ms Copland said.

Pictures from Engage Victoria website.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com