Shepherdson Road Housing Development

Mr FATCHEN (Mount Gambier) (11:36): As the member for Mount Gambier, I rise today to speak in support of the Public Works Committee report on the proposed SA Housing Trust development at 42 Shepherdson Road, Mount Gambier. This project is proposing 15 new public homes and 36 rent-to-own homes, providing much-needed housing and affordable home ownership opportunities for our community.

The need for additional housing in Mount Gambier is desperate. Rental vacancies remain extremely low and the cost of purchasing a home has risen dramatically in recent years. As someone who has lived in Mount Gambier my entire life, I have seen firsthand how housing affordability has changed. Over the past eight years, house prices in Mount Gambier have increased by around 120 per cent while wages have only risen by around 30 per cent.

For many young families, first-home buyers and essential workers, the dream of owning a home in our community is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. That is why projects like this are so important. The 15 public housing homes will provide much-needed accommodation for people struggling to secure a place to live at a time when much of the existing public housing stock is in urgent need of renewal and upgrading. The 36 rent-to-own homes will also create valuable pathways into home ownership, helping more people to achieve the dream of owning their own home and entering the housing market.

Housing is also critical to the continued growth of our region, our ability to attract and retain workers and the strength of our local economy. It is also essential that the necessary supporting infrastructure, particularly SA Water's water and wastewater requirements, is being addressed now to ensure there are no unnecessary delays to this development. As the member for Mount Gambier, I welcome this investment in Mount Gambier and encourage the SA Housing Trust to progress the development as quickly as possible. Our community needs these homes.