HOUSING IN CRISIS - 28 June 2014

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Politics in the Pub 

The Family Hotel, 15 Parke St, Katoomba

2.30 until 4.30 pm on 28 June. Admission is free.

With rising rents, homelessness and soaring house prices Blue Mountains Union Council will be holding a Politics in the Pub on the housing crisis in  NSW on Saturday June 28th

HOUSING IN CRISIS

"Today there seems to be an increasing chasm between the winners and losers in accessible, affordable, safe and secure housing," says Paula Rix of Shelter NSW.

"It 's my hope that an awareness of the economic, political and policy drivers at play in the housing system will put us in a better position to consider solutions to address the housing crisis"

Ms Rix, one of the main speakers, is senior policy officer - education and outreach at Shelter NSW, a peak organisation which works for a fair and just housing system. She has a background in working in housing related social justice and advocacy organisations, including the Builders Labourers Federation in the heyday of the Green Bans.

She'll be talking about how the Australian housing system works, exploring its myths and realities, as well as the major drivers of the housing crisis, with a focus on housing stress, homelessness and the quest for affordable housing. She'll also discuss some of the recent changes that have taken place in the housing system.

Barney Gardner will report on how he's facing eviction by the state government from his home in the Millers Point - the Sydney suburb where he's lived for 65 years

"Now this working class area is being gentrified, the government deems I am not good enough to live here anymore. This area has been public housing for over 100 years - no government has the right to evict the people who protected and nurtured the heritage and culture of Millers Point - the oldest suburb in Australia's first European settlement."

Gareth Houghton, until recently a Blue Mountains youth worker, will speak about how the housing crisis effects young people in the Blue Mountains and his experience regarding the greatest barriers young people face in obtaining and sustaining tenancies.

Youth under and unemployment, deficiencies in funding for mental health services and discrimination are just a few of these issues. Discussions will also examine rental affordability and the competitive nature of securing rental accommodation, exacerbated in the Blue Mountains after the 2013 bush fires saw the destruction of over 200 homes, pushing many people into rental accommodation and raising median rents.

In light of higher rental prices and an increasingly casualised work force, as well as house prices rising exponentially in comparison to average wages - is it possible for younger people to get their ‘foot in the door’ to the property market? Has the cessation of the first home buyers scheme for existing properties and the rise in property acquisition by investors cut young people and families out the market for home ownership?

For further information contact Nick Franklin BMUC 0428259754