The profit motive in Vic. public housing sell-off

Widespread community concern about the state government's proposed plans to sell the majority of public land on existing public housing estates for private development has meant a public inquiry into the matter will be delayed.

The response date for the Public Housing Renewal Proposal (PHRP) inquiry has been delayed from 20 March to 5 June due to an overwhelming amount of evidence received. The Legislative Council Standing Committee's (LCSC) inquiry asked for submissions about PHRP but, according to LCSC administrative officer Joanne Bush, the committee needed more time to look at the evidence, including the 172 inquiries submissions.

Of the 159 publicly available submissions, only 22 were in favour of the PHRP, claiming they agreed with the government that current public housing estates were old and in short supply. The plan includes a ten per cent increase in social housing after the redevelopment; the majority of submissions, including those in favour of the plan, said a ten per cent increase was inadequate. This is because there are currently over 35,000 Victorians on the public housing waiting list and many people are on the waiting list for 15 years.

Submissions expressed confusion about the term 'social housing', which is an umbrella term for public housing and community housing. The distinction is that public housing is government owned while community housing is privately owned. Unlike community housing, public housing provides security and affordable housing.

Yet the state and federal governments continue to use the term 'social housing' in what seems to be an attempt to confuse people. As they rarely explain the term, it is almost impossible to know if they are referring to community or public housing. When people are continuously confused about the terms government officials use, it is extremely difficult to fight against them. Public housing tenants' rights are dissolved as they are unable to know if they will lose their homes or if their homes will be improved.

Community housing tenant and public housing advocate Martina Macey said the government would profit by selling off public housing properties. 'The land was "stolen" under the Reclamation Act for the exact purposes of public housing. For any government to do a backflip on this to make a profit, especially since there are 35,000-plus on the waiting list, is disgraceful,' she said.