Mallee’s housing shortage is not being helped by the Albanese Labor Government, after Thursday’s regional component of a Government Housing Support Program (HSP) announcement overlooked Mallee – with one Shire particularly upset their application was rejected.

Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster said the Coalition’s focus on regional housing is demonstrated by their commitment for $1.5 billion to enable regional housing.

“I stand shoulder to shoulder with our Mallee shires who desperately need housing and have been kicked to the kerb by Labor’s rejection yesterday.

“Suburbtrends identified 3 of Victoria’s 6 regional local government areas that are highest on the rental pain index as being in Mallee – Northern Grampians (2^nd), Swan Hill (4^th) and Yarriambiack (6^th) while Horsham (18^th) and Mildura (19^th) saw Mallee over-represented in the 20 worst performing shires,” Dr Webster said.

Yarriambiack Shire Mayor Kylie Zanker said “As a Mayor to say our council is disappointed is an understatement. We work restlessly on funding applications and to miss out again is just heartbreaking. We submit quality applications investing time and money on consultants to assist to ensure our applications are of the highest standard and to be unsuccessful is devastating. Four quality projects across Yarriambiack and not one funded. Our communities deserve so much more than the ‘zero’ that is being delivered.”

Dr Webster said in September that Labor’s home-grown cost-of-living crisis and reckless immigration policies were adding fuel to the housing affordability bonfire.

The successful Victorian HSP projects were at Ararat, Beaufort, Marong, Morwell and the Whittlesea Council.

“I have written to the Australian National Audit Office to investigate the allocation of funding under this program, and whether it was genuinely determined on the basis of merit and need,” Dr Webster said.

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