By TOM HAYES
THE state government recently revealed more than 60,000 houses were built in Victoria over a 12-month period ending in September 2024, equivalent to about 168 homes per day.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data shows that about 61,300 Victorian homes were completed in over the 12-month period, compared to the 45,700 in New South Wales, and the 32,800 in Queensland during the same period.
The ABS data shows an 8.8 per cent increase for Victoria on the previous 12-month period, while NSW saw a decline of 4.4 per cent on the previous 12-month period.
Since the release of the Housing Statement, Minister for Planning, Sonya Kilkenny has used her powers to deliver more than 15,000 homes – over a 100 per cent increase on previous periods.
The state government announced it would introduce ‘bold reforms’ to deliver more homes near train stations in suburbs close to the city, a 10-year pipeline of land for family homes and backyards, off-the-plan tax concessions, more townhouses in the suburbs, and more green spaces.
The state government will soon release its new plan for Victorians, the first-ever whole-of-state plan will set out how to further improve housing affordability and choice through to 2050, as the population grows.
According to the state government, more than 30 per cent of Australian first home buyer loans are recorded in Victoria – the best of any state.
“Victoria continues to be number one in home approvals, number one in home starts, number one in home completions – and best of all, number one in first home buyers,” Ms Kilkenny said.
“While these results are encouraging, we know there is more work to do – that’s why (we’re) working to get more homes off the ground faster, so more Victorians have the opportunity to buy or rent a place close to their family, their jobs, or where they grew up.”
However, the state government statement also mentioned: “More needs to be done, because more homes mean more opportunities for young Victorians – we want to give them the same chances their parents had”.
On the same day (Wednesday, January 22), the state government also announced that it would support Victorians suffering with the rising cost of living, by expanding access to financial counselling services.
Minister for Consumer Affairs, Nick Staikos visited Geelong’s Meli Community – a support service – to announce that 16 Victorian organisations will share $15 million in funding over three years to expand and support the services offered to thousands of Victorians who are experiencing financial hardship due to mortgage or rental stress.
The additional funding will mean there are now 37 frontline service support positions across the state, according to the state government, to help more Victorians access additional local financial counselling services.
These services will provide support to help people get finances back on track, including working out payment plans, and negotiating with creditors and insurers. The grants will support tailored responses and provide support for primary producers and small businesses in Western and Northern Victoria.
The state government also announced that as the peak body for financial counselling, Financial Counselling Victoria is set to receive an additional $700,000 in 2025 to increase their professional development, communications, and advocacy capacity in response to the increased demands on the sector.
Also receiving a boost is the Consumer Action Law Centre, to deliver specialist worker support services, giving frontline workers access to advice and training.
“As Victorian families continue to face cost of living pressures, our financial counselling services are there to help people to get their financial situation back on track,” Minster Staikos said.
“We’re investing in our financial counselling services and workforce so organisations can offer free help to thousands more Victorians.”
According to the state government, it has invested more than $65 million over the last four years to support Victorian community agencies to deliver general and specialist family violence financial counselling.
The Financial Counselling Program supported more than 23,000 Victorians across 2023 and 2024, including 4100 affected by family violence.
Through the state government’s $1 billion Regional Housing Fund, it aims to deliver 1300 social and affordable homes across the state, announcing on November 27, 2024, that of the first 1000 homes to be built, 110 would be built in Inner Gippsland and 65 in Outer Gippsland.
