18 December 2024
The Greens have welcomed the Government’s decision to spend more on the public health system in the Mid-Year Budget Review released this week but say the Government should have delivered more public housing rather than a $413m surplus.
“While South Australians will be relieved to see additional funding for health, there’s no point squirrelling money away for a rainy day when we are in the midst of the worst housing crisis in decades,” said Greens SA Treasury Spokesperson Robert Simms MLC.
“What is the point of a surplus when we have people sleeping on the street? No one should be without a home this Christmas. Rather than delivering a $413 million surplus in the middle of a housing crisis, the Government should have used this money to build more public housing. Based on the Government’s own costings, $413 million could have been used to build over 1300 new homes in the next year.”
Figures released to the Greens under Freedom of Information laws in October revealed that nearly 170 South Australians have died while waiting for public and community housing over the past four years.