Federal Member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips, has called Andrew Constance’s recent housing roundtable in Kiama a “farcical talk-fest.” 

After reading The Bugle’s coverage of Constance’s roundtable, Phillips attacked the Liberal party's plan to slash the investment in affordable housing from $32 billion to $5 billion.

She also questioned Constance’s plan to build houses on natural and beautiful sites in Kiama while being against wind turbine development. 

“Picture that, the rolling hills of Kiama, Jamberoo, and Gerringong covered in housing—that’s what Peter Dutton and Andrew Constance stand for—peri-urban development. It’s ironic, Mr. Constance thinks offshore wind turbines 30km off the coast are an eyesore but seems quite happy for our peri-urban rolling hills to be covered in houses,” says Phillips.

Phillips stated that the Albanese government already plans to build 1.2 million homes by growing the workforce with fee-free TAFE, more apprenticeship funding, and a $1.5 billion investment in enabling infrastructure and planning reform. 

She emphasised that the government must boost the supply of affordable and social rental housing to solve the housing crisis.

“We have already legislated a huge $32 billion housing agenda to kickstart investment in affordable and social rental housing. There are already available investment opportunities now under our legislated Housing Australia Future Fund and incentives for the NSW Government and Kiama Council, particularly for urban consolidation projects to boost supply,” says Phillips.

Phillips then mentioned the Labor Party’s ‘Help-to-Buy’ scheme that would allow eligible home buyers to purchase a property with a smaller deposit. 

“The Liberals should also stop blocking our ‘Help-to-Buy’ Scheme before the Parliament again, so that young people and people of all ages can be given government support to help buy a home,” says Phillips.

You can read the Bugle’s coverage of Andrew Constance’s roundtable here.