Five Melbourne councils, including Hume, wrote a joint communique to the state and federal governments calling for increased collaboration on delivering social and affordable housing.
Hume, Darebin, Kingston, Moonee Valley and Whittlesea city councils addressed the communique to state and federal ministers responsible for planning, housing, and infrastructure.
The letter called for the state government to progress the Activity Centre program as a “genuine partnership” and recognise the perspectives of councils in regards to managing growth and change.
The state’s Activity Centre Program identified ten areas across Melbourne that are planned to host 60,000 new homes located nearby to services, jobs, and public transport.
The state government has set a target to build 800,000 homes in Victoria over the next decade.
In the communique, the councils requested engagement and collaboration on details before Activity Centre plans are made public, deeper commitment to infrastructure coordination across all government departments and agencies, and support and buy-in from the federal government.
Hume mayor Cr Naim Kurt “Local government has a role to play in providing housing choice through efficient planning services, but solving this issue requires a genuine partnership from all levels of government and industry to resolve.”
“Housing supply and affordability is one of Australia’s most pressing issues and we welcome the chance to collaborate with both the Victorian and Commonwealth governments to tackle it,” he said.
A state government spokesperson said 466 new homes had been built in Hume as part of its Big Housing Build program, with a target of 496.
“The best way to make housing more affordable is to build more homes – that’s why we’re working with councils right across the state to give more Victorians the opportunity to find a home in areas close to jobs, transport and services,” the spokesperson said.
The federal governmet was also contacted for comment.
