Homelessness network demands action on housing

THE Barwon & South West Homelessness Network (BSWHN) is urging the state government to begin moving on the 1,300 new social and affordable homes promised to regional Victoria in the wake of the Commonwealth Games cancellation.

More than a year after the $1 billion Regional Housing Fund was announced, details on when and where these homes will be built have yet to be released.

BSWHN coordinator Rebecca Callahan said had the Commonwealth Games gone ahead, the Waurn Ponds athlete’s village would have delivered approximately 700 social housing properties, equating to about 10 per cent of the homes needed to house those currently priority listed on the Victorian Housing Register in the Barwon region.

“These households require urgent housing now,” she said.

“It is time to ramp up our investment in public and community housing to ensure women and children are not forced to stay in unsafe housing or homelessness, and that all people on this list can secure housing.”

In justifying its decision to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which were to be held at sites across regional Victoria, the state government cited housing as the most important issue facing Victorians.

“The Geelong community has told us that more places to live and more places to stay across regional Victoria is what really matters – so that’s exactly what we’ll deliver,” then-Premier Daniel Andrews said at the time.

Members of the BSWHN gathered near the Waurn Ponds Railway Station recently to highlight the number of homes they say are urgently needed in the area, placing 700 origami paper houses at the site.

A Victorian government spokesperson said record investments were being made to increase the supply of social houses across the state.

“Under the historic $5.3 billion Big Housing Build, we are on track to deliver at least 12,000 new social and affordable homes to help house applicants from the Victorian Housing Register, with more than 9,600 homes underway or complete across the state.”

In Greater Geelong, more than $200 million has been invested into the region through the Big Housing Build and other capital programs, with 563 homes either complete or underway, the spokesperson said.

“In addition to this, the $1 billion Regional Housing Fund will deliver more than 1,300 homes right across rural and regional Victoria – with further market homes to be built, bringing the total to 2,500.”