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Labor must address long wait for public housingA call to the Andrews Labor government to address a shortage of public housing across Gippsland. By Portal Admin - 24th June 2018 - Back to News Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath, has called on the Andrews Labor government to address a shortage of public housing across Gippsland.
Following the release of a parliamentary committee report into the Victorian Government’s Public Housing Renewal program, Ms Bath said the issue of lengthy wait times posed quite a challenge for many of the Latrobe Valley’s most vulnerable.
"The wait time for public housing can take anywhere between three months to several years, which is too long," Ms Bath said.
The report also revealed the number of people on the Victorian Housing Register increased by about 1,500 people in the first three months of this year.
According to the report, there are now over 82,000 people, including 24,622 children seeking public housing.
Ms Bath said it was concerning that public housing tenants were being relocated to rural and regional areas without the provision of adequate support.
"Additional support services in the areas of mental health, drug rehabilitation and domestic violence are vital in supporting local communities at risk. We need more wrap around services that work towards positive outcomes," Ms Bath said.
"Funding for long term programs that provide real solutions are essential for people with complex needs".
The Nationals Candidate for Morwell, Sheridan Bond, shared the concerns with an emphasis on the impact for single people on the public housing wait list.
"Single people often seek accommodation in rooming houses where factors like personal security and privacy can be at risk" said Ms Bond.
"The Andrews Labor Government must make sure we have the right resources in the Valley to meet the needs of people seeking public housing."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: support@gippsland.com
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