[Jan Fisher]

It’s clear Australia is desperate for more social housing, but both sides of the political divide seem reluctant to make sure that happens.

I can see why. Once government housing is built it can be expensive to maintain and administer, but is the alternative better?

Centrelink rental assistance payments for private rentals simply pours money into private hands. You can’t tell me that money wouldn’t be better off redirected to the government or reinvested in housing.

Cities in Europe seem perfectly capable of many different types of models from co-ops to non or limited-profit housing associations or even commissioning private developers but capping the amount of profit they can make from a project.

And instead of selling off government land or properties they are setting aside money to buy more.

Do you think we need more affordable housing? Should the government be looking outside the square?

[David Watherston]

When governments talk about social housing, they seem to forget that Victoria is not just Melbourne, some of New South Wales is not in Sydney and quite a bit of Queensland is not in the South-east corner or on the coastal strip.
There are lots of regional cities that have all the niceties? of the capital cities without the drama of heavy traffic, cheaper land and housing, services that match or exceed those of the capital.
Add in the more relaxed lifestyle and the feeling of belonging in a smaller city.

Let me add a PET PEEVE:: TV channels that refer to regional cities (in their own right) as “outer suburbs” of the Capital City. Absolute mis-information!!!

[Author]

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