Victorian leaders to gather over affordable housing crisis

Set to be held in Creswick on Tuesday, 4 October 2022, the Regional Affordable Housing Summit aims to provide a forum for discussion to identify challenges and opportunities in regard to the needs of regional Victoria’s growing population.

Joining the summit will be Minister for Housing Danny Pearson and Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing.

Representatives from local government, the community housing sector, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, members of regional partnerships and Regional Development Australia committees and other peak bodies will also be present at the summit.

The Labor government will further outline its Affordable Housing Rental Scheme along the key topic of delivering more affordable housing with discussions regarding plans to create more housing in the state’s regional areas.

Also in focus will be discussions surrounding enabling local businesses to expand and unlocking more housing for workers by hearing from civic leaders and partners working across regional Victoria regarding the challenges of affordable housing supply and economic growth.

The Andrews government will be investing a quarter of its $5.3 billion Big Housing Build into the state’s regional areas with the intention of sharing the economic and social benefits of the program across Victoria.

Additionally, the government has established Minimum Investment Guarantees across 18 key regional areas that guide the decision-making on Big Housing Build investment.

Mr Pearson said that while it’s a good thing that the regional areas are growing, there needs to be recognition of the pressures placed on the supply of affordable housing due to the migration surge.

“By building social and affordable housing in regional Victoria through the Big Housing Build and other initiatives, we’re responding to the increasing population in Victoria’s growth areas and creating more rental housing to support employment growth in regional towns and cities,” Mr Pearson said.

Ms Shing stated: “It is critical to grow housing for locals and people moving to the regions for work, which is why we’re bringing together leaders and decision makers to overcome barriers and increase affordable housing across regional Victoria.”

In May 2022, the Andrews government promised almost $40 million in reforms and projects into its latest budget to improve housing supply, prices and infrastructure.

[RELATED: Victoria confirms $40m housing injection]