Social housing an investment in healthier cities, says Minister for Housing
The NSW Minister for Housing, Rose Jackson, made a passionate case for social housing investment at UNSW鈥檚 annual Gene Willsford UTZON Lecture this week.
鈥淲e should not view social housing as a government version of a poor box, where we might charitably drop a few dollars in every few years, but a vital strategic investment in our social infrastructure,鈥 Minister Jackson said.聽
鈥淗ousing is more than a roof over our heads. It is the foundation on which our lives are built. And when we ensure everyone has access to safe and affordable housing, we create a society in which we all can thrive.鈥澛
The Minister for Housing鈥檚 comments come after the Minns government鈥檚 first budget in June included a $5.1 billion investment to deliver 8,400 social homes, the largest single investment in social housing in NSW's history.聽
Jackson鈥檚 keynote speech asked what the purpose of housing should be, and framed it as a basic need, where social housing was not a charitable chore but an investment delivering broader public value.
鈥漌e鈥檙e doing it because our entire society rests on the fundamental premise that our form of democracy can meet basic needs,鈥 she said. 鈥淏ecause if that is not true, we are in a dark and dangerous place. We are investing in the wellbeing of our entire society.鈥澛
Jackson also made the case for 鈥渂eautiful housing.鈥澛
鈥淪ocial housing has got to stop being a blight on our streets. We should live in places with beautiful things,鈥 she said.聽
鈥淕overnment-designed and delivered buildings can, and should, be the most attractive, most sustainable and most accessible. We can be leaders and standard setters.鈥澛
After the lecture, presented by UNSW鈥檚 Cities Institute and School of Built Environment, an all-female panel of industry experts further discussed issues confronting housing and healthy cities.聽
Rentals, land supply, design and Build To Rent were key issues despite the glow surrounding the recent opening of the Sydney Metro City line, which the Government Architect鈥檚 Director Design Excellence, Olivia Hyde, noted is 鈥渁n incredible example, a beautiful example of good design and how that wins over people鈥檚 hearts and minds.鈥澛
鈥淭he federal government should be pumping heaps of money into public transport because that鈥檚 what鈥檚 going to unlock heaps of other areas,鈥 she added.聽
Minister Jackson noted her government鈥檚 desire to unlock more land after its own recent land audit to 鈥渕ove to a coherent whole of government pipeline to activate land for public benefit.鈥澛
鈥淚 think that is working well but I will say we are still working up against a culture of agency defensiveness of their land assets,鈥 she added. 鈥淟and is so valuable in Sydney鈥o it is a project to get our friends in Transport (for NSW), Health and Education to realise land they aren鈥檛 using, that鈥檚 just sitting there, could be put to a great purpose. It is a cultural shift within government.鈥澛
Pressure on the rental market remains a hot topic. Hazel Easthope, A/Director of the UNSW City Futures Research Centre, noted 鈥淲e don鈥檛 do renting particularly well here when we compare ourselves to the international stage.鈥澛
鈥淲hen we compare ourselves to other places we should be saying are we providing the conditions in which people can make homes?鈥 she added.聽
鈥淓ven the people who have found appropriate homes are really afraid they鈥檙e going to lose them鈥e can do better.鈥澛
When asked for their ideas on an immediate solution for the housing crisis, Minister Jackson said beyond the delivery of social housing, her immediate priority 鈥 before the end of this year鈥檚 Parliamentary term 鈥 is the legislative prohibition of no-grounds evictions.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 not going to solve all of the challenges (but) it is foundational to me that people in the rental market have more security than they have.鈥澛
A recording of the Gene Willsford UTZON Lecture, delivered by NSW Minister for Housing, The Hon. Rose Jackson MLC, and featuring a panel discussion with Olivia Hyde, Elle Davidson, and Hazel Easthope, moderated by Lucy Turnbull, is available at the聽Utzon Lecture Collective page.
