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Social housing is not the same as public housing

Sam Wallman

Sam Wallman is a unionist and cartoonist based on unceded Wurundjeri country. He is a member of the Workers Art Collective and the Maritime Union of Australia. His new book 12 Rules for Strife was produced in collaboration with Jeff Sparrow and will be published by Scribe Publications on May Day 2024. You can follow his work here.

More by Sam Wallman ›

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  1. Thanks very much to Sam from Defend and Extend Public Housing Australia for his wonderful cartoon.

    Everyone- please dont EVER fall for Government, mainstream media or academic views on housing. Many people concerned about our housing crisis have already been convinced that the announcement by the Andrews Govt on Public Housing is as wonderful as they are all making it out to be.
    These are the facts, read the media coverage again and judge for yourself:
    8,000 units over 4 years goes nowhere to satisfying 50,000 units needed immediately. We dont even know if it will be Public Housing- Andrews policy is “Community” Housing, not PH.
    Andrews failed to prioritize those most in need, also- thousands will be Affordable Housing- which is not even for those on the PH waiting list.
    Speaking as a housing commentator, Affordable Housing is not sufficient to address problems in the private rental sector- it is a mediocre control.
    3 problems with the announcement:
    1. the number of homes promised is still far too low. The public housing waiting list requires 50,000 new Public Housing units immediately. Instead, we are getting 3,000 Affordable Homes, for those not on the PH waiting list at all, and 9,000 Social Housing units- which Australian Governments usually turn into “Community” Housing, ie built or financed by Govt, but with management or ownership then given away to Housing Industry Organizations.
    2. there is no indication that the Andrews Govt is changing from its policy of privatizing its housing by giving it to “Community” Housing.
    3. How does this square with the ALP support of the Green New Deal, which promises 100,000 new Public Housing units over 10 years? We are only getting 9,000 new Social Housing units over 4 years but also lose 1,000 Public Housing units to demolition. So, how do we get from 8,000 Social Housing units over 4 years to 100,000 new Public Housing units over 10 years?
    3 problems with media coverage.
    1. The mainstream media do not say that only Public Housing is appropriate for the homeless or those on low incomes, and that “Community” Housing is not. PH guarantees rents, security of tenure and admission, and CH does not.
    2. The mainstream media use the term “Social Housing” to mix up CH with PH.
    3. The mainstream media do not say that Australian Governments have been privatizing PH by giving away management or ownership to CH, when Governments should be prioritizing PH.
    Howard, for Defend And Extend Public Housing Australia.

  2. My question is why are so many single mothers whose children have all left home are still living in 3 or 4 bedroom houses when there are so many families waiting for suitable housing. I also have a problem with units housing people with disabilities that are totally unfit for purpose and the problems people have moving into a more suitable unit,

  3. hi i’m currently living in public housing , i have treats made to me by next door in front of my young children , and now been assaulted by her hitting me in the head with a pole , police attended and took photos of what she had done , and she also took to my oldest daughter with metal pole and hit her across the arm.i have been living in my car and motels for approx 2 months now and ringwood housing don’t seem to want to help . i don’t know what to do next ?

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