A national housing stimulus could save the jobs of tradies and small family businesses across the South West Sydney region, says Werriwa MP Anne Stanley.
She has backed a Labor Party plan which also includes the construction of social and affordable housing for some of the Covid-19 frontline workers.
“The pipeline of work in the housing construction industry is drying up and I fear this will result in a sharp decline in work for lots of tradespeople and small and family businesses in South West Sydney,’’ Ms Stanley said.
“South West Sydney is a major growth area, and failing to protect the housing construction industry will cause irreparable harm to home owners, tenants and tradespeople employed in the industry.
“As the people of Werriwa go back to work, we can’t afford for lots of local tradies to be out of work.
“Our economy won’t snap back if many of these small family businesses close,” Ms Stanley said.
The national housing stimulus plan proposed by Labor would include governments working with the private sector and superannuation funds investing in more social and affordable housing and the repair and maintenance of existing social housing.
Ms Stanley, pictured above, says before Covid-19 hit many Australians were struggling to buy or rent a home, with home ownership rates at their lowest level in 60 years, rental stress through the roof and more Australians homeless than ever before.
“A specific program, to help the true heroes of this crisis – nurses, cleaners, aged care workers, supermarket workers, bus drivers, and other front-line workers, should also be developed,” Ms Stanley said.
“We need a plan that supports and creates jobs for tradies and more affordable housing for the key workers who were not able to stay home and stay safe during the pandemic. Those people in our community who are often lower-paid and travel long distances to work.
“Around the country, governments and super funds are already building some affordable rental accommodation for key workers, close to where they work. But a lot more can be done, and it can be done here in South West Sydney,’’ Ms Stanley said.
