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Labor will ensure Council has a greater role in securing affordable and appropriate housing across the Shire. It has to be our biggest priority because it helps those who are struggling and cannot enter the housing market, it attracts new residents to the region, and it grows the local building industry and associated businesses.

 

The situation is clear

• Owning and renting a home is becoming more challenging with most options completely out of reach for the average local family.

• Housing for older singles and couples is almost non-existent.

• There is no housing investment by the Council and the long-awaited Housing Strategy has little to offer our community in the short-term.

• Planning decisions are not supporting the immediate needs of the local community.

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​​State of Play with housing policy

The Local Housing Strategy Background Report produced by Council in November 2023 identifies the main issues with housing in the Eurobodalla as the relative lack of housing diversity, and the significant shortage of affordable (including social) housing.

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The report found that “80% of identified affordable housing need is unlikely to be met through market, and would require strong planning intervention and/or direct funding or substantial subsidies to be affordable to most of the statutory target groups."

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Affordable housing is essential for the aged care workers and health workers we need to look after an ageing population, and for the tourism and hospitality sector workers who are vital to the local economy.

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The draft Housing Strategy released by Council recently relies on supporting the market to deliver the supply needed, even though the report adopted by Council found that this would only meet 20% of need.

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Bega Valley Shire faces the same issues as the Eurobodalla – Bega Council has adopted and is implementing a detailed plan to address affordable housing, including involvement in housing supply. 

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The solution is more to provide diverse housing responses to meet community needs

Labor will adopt a range of measures to increase the stock of smaller, more manageable dwellings, including amending planning instruments to: 

• Mandate developments in town centres and infill sites including a proportion of smaller dwellings, and 

• Encourage the provision of a proportion of smaller dwellings in greenfield developments – which will also contribute to improving access to affordable housing.

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An active Affordable Housing Strategy

A Labor Council will adopt an active Affordable Housing Strategy, drawing on the Bega Valley Shire Council model, and employ a housing manager to focus on implementing the strategy.

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Labor will:

• Work with the community to ensure better housing choices for local residents.

• Secure new forms of land use and provide for medium density through planning  and regulatory changes.

• Not sacrifice the environment and cultural heritage in bringing more housing.

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Go to Labor's Submission to the ESC draft Housing Strategy​​