Frontline workers more likely to win on roulette or a Scratchie than securing a new cheap home
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Published June 20, 2024
The Daily Telegraph, 20 June 2024
Essential workers have a better chance of winning on a roulette wheel or a scratchie ticket than they do of securing one of the NSW Government’s new subsidised build to rent units. Read why.
Essential workers have a better chance of winning on a roulette wheel or a scratchie ticket than they do of securing one ofthe NSW government’s new build-to-rent units, amid concerns the move will do little for thousands of frontline staff facing “enormous pressure” to find a home near their work.
The NSW budget on Tuesday confirmed the government would pump $450m into building 400 homes for firefighters, nurses, healthworkers and police in Sydney, which would be available for rent at subsidised rates.
There are about 150,000 police officers, nurses, ambulance officers, firefighters and teachers in the state, the majority of whom are based in greater Sydney where 66 per cent of NSW’s population lives.
It would mean about 100,000 workers in those categories call Sydney home and they have about a one-in-248 chance of securing one of the new units.
Someone placing a single bet on roulette has a one-in-37 chance of winning, while some scratchie tickets have a one-in-four chance of a win.
However, essential workers in Sydney do have a better chance of securing one of the units than the 7000 punters who entered PR queen Roxy Jacenko’s aborted $10m house giveaway – who apparently had a one in 2333 chance of winning either the luxuryhouse or two minor prizes.
The future of that giveaway is now in doubt after Jacenko successfully applied to the NSW Supreme Court to have liquidators appointed to the business behind the venture, and invited those who had entered to apply for a refund.
Urban Taskforce acting chief executive Stephen Fenn said the 400 homes for frontline workers was a step in the right direction, but there wasn’t enough support for the private housing industry in the budget.
“Who’s going to get those houses? Are we going to have a lottery? Do affiliated unions get preference over non-affiliatedunions?” Mr Fenn asked.
“There’s merit in the building of these homes of course, (but) that $450m could be taken off some of the charges they’re putting on the housing industry and you could really open the floodgates when it comes to building homes.”
Planning Minister Paul Scully defended the 400 homes as a start and said he wanted the program to expand.
“Right now, key workers are often priced out of housing near to where they work in Sydney which results in long commutes,often with high private costs,” he said. “A program to address this inequity has to start somewhere and this will increasethe supply of accessible rental accommodation for essential workers in Sydney where today, none exist.”
Health Services Union NSW secretary Gerard Hayes said there was still “enormous pressure” on health workers struggling toafford housing in Sydney.
“It’s a starting point, but at the end of the day … this should have been dealt with over the last 15 years,” he said. “We’re playing catch-up at 100 miles an hour at the moment.”