30 October 2025
The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (16:43): I thank honourable members for their contributions: the Hon. Russell Wortley, the Hon. Jing Lee and the Hon. Michelle Lensink. Naturally, I am disappointed that the Labor and Liberal parties are not supporting this bill, but I am not surprised. I will not reflect on the irony of being lectured about empty slogans by the Liberal Party. Let's not forget the Liberal Party's track record, the party of 'stop the boats', 'end the waste' and every other empty slogan one can think of that was parroted by the Liberal Party over the years.
In the case of the Greens, at least we actually have some policies and we look forward to being able to talk to voters about those in the lead-up to the election. I look forward to seeing the Liberals announce a housing policy at some point. But on the substantive issue of the bill before us—
Members interjecting:
The PRESIDENT: Order! You are attacking the Hon. Mr Simms.
The Hon. R.A. SIMMS: On the substantive point of the bill before us, I think one of the things honourable members are neglecting in their contributions is the fact that the Malinauskas government have really rolled out the red carpet for developers in our state over the last four years. Everything is the developer's way: land releases, getting the community to pay for new infrastructure, and we are now changing the height limits in the CBD so that we can go sky high with development. The government has even done a code amendment that does away with some of those basic amenities like private bathrooms and kitchens and balconies.
If the developers are getting all of this land release, all of these planning changes that make it easier for them to develop, then surely there should be a return to the South Australian community by way of an increased return of social housing. Let's not forget there is a requirement for 15 per cent affordable housing already under the law. We are proposing that that be increased to 30 per cent: 10 per cent affordable to buy, 10 per cent affordable to rent and 10 per cent public housing. I do not think that is too much to ask in the middle of the worst housing crisis we have seen in generations.
Many members have reflected that we all recognise this as a problem. The reality is, though, some political parties do not want to do anything about it because the policies they support are allowing housing to be treated purely as an investment class rather than a fundamental human right of each and every South Australian. It is one thing to unlock land for development and it is one thing to change planning laws to facilitate development, it is quite another to actually mandate a return of social and affordable housing.
I note the government's announcement on the weekend that they are putting $500 million down so they can act as guarantee for private development. More penthouses in the CBD—million-dollar penthouses in the CBD with views of the ocean—are not going to be a solution to the housing crisis. That is not going to fix the housing crisis. We need to see developers stepping up and investing in social housing. We need to see the government incentivise that investment. We also need to see the government put some money on the table for more social housing, more public housing.
The Hon. Michelle Lensink referenced Thomas Playford, and I am glad she did because he was a visionary Premier. One of the things that he did was set up the South Australian Housing Trust as a public builder, and that was the biggest builder in South Australia during a period of his premiership. We can do that again if there is a political will to do so. I might add in concluding that we heard from the transport minister today that South Australian taxpayers have spent $7.5 billion on the north-south corridor. Imagine what we could do with that money if we invested it in housing. We can solve the housing crisis if there is the political will to do so. That is not a slogan; that is a fact.