Housing Minister Roger Jaensch must today guarantee there will not be further cuts to social and affordable housing and services for homelessness as the Liberal Government’s razor gang embarks on a program of slashing $450 million from the public sector.
Shadow Housing Minister Alison Standen said an analysis by Labor shows that if it does not quarantine housing from its wholesale axing program, the Minority Hodgman Liberal Government may cut around $10 million from housing, equating to up to 120 new affordable homes.
“It’s up to Mr Jaensch to rule that cut in or out – today,” Ms Standen said.
“If Mr Jaensch has done his job and stood up to Treasurer Gutwein and Premier Hodgman then he can tell Tasmanians today that housing is quarantined from the $450 million in cuts.
“If he has not done his job, he must tell Tasmanians how deep the cuts will go at a time when the state remains in the grip of an unprecedented housing and homelessness crisis.
“The handling of that crisis by Mr Jaensch and the government has been appalling and shows that putting a roof over the heads of everyday families as well as some of Tasmania’s most vulnerable is just not their priority.
“Can Mr Jaensch come out today and categorically say there will be no cuts to housing?
“Or has he failed to prevent the axe falling on public housing and affordable housing and services for the homeless because of this government’s hopeless bungling of the state’s finances which will see Tasmania more than $1 billion in debt?”
Alison Standen MP
Shadow Housing Minister
