VICTORIA'S Housing Minister has resorted to attacking the Liberal Party, instead of answering questions about what he is doing to reduce Wodonga's long public tenancy waiting list.
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The city has the fastest growing waiting list in Victoria with 467 seeking accommodation, according to the latest data which showed Wodonga defying a statewide trend downwards.
Little has changed over 10 years with 475 waiting in 2006 and 445 in 2010.
The Border Mail asked Housing Minister Martin Foley what he was doing to increase public housing in Wodonga.
He was also asked why the figure had remained largely stagnant over the last decade and whether that was reflective of governments, of either persuasion, not really caring about substantially reducing the waiting list in Wodonga.
The Labor minister did not directly answer the questions, instead deflecting attention to his Liberal rivals.
“The Liberals neglected public housing for four years as tens of millions were ripped out of the Victorian system, which has inevitably had an impact on the waiting list,” Mr Foley said.
“Liberals don't care about our most disadvantaged; it's why they cut funding to housing.”
Benambra MLA Bill Tilley pointed out Labor had been in power for 12 of the last 16 years.
“There's got to be a political will to stop the playing he said-she said,” he said.
“There needs to be a good business model and stock should be upgraded.”
Mr Tilley said a “dent” could be put in the waiting list by “moving on” from public housing those whose situation has improved and encouraging the building of more investment properties for rental.
“We need local government to release more land and people are frustrated with the planning process when they are trying to build,” Mr Tilley said.
Wodonga mayor Anna Speedie said it was “absolutely” frustrating the waiting list had not fallen and the government needed to act.
“This is a state responsibility and the state is fully accountable for this,” Cr Speedie said.
“We can continue to lobby and advocate on behalf of our community, but where's the state?”
Cr Speedie said over her 10 years on the council there had been regular lobbying.
She also suggested the city should have a greater say in planning for public housing.
“When the state government builds these they can actually override council planning laws, they don't have to have the same planning regulations, so I think what we need to do is continue to work really hard with the state to make sure what they do deliver actually delivers fantastic outcomes,” Cr Speedie said.