With the average house price in Sydney now sitting at $1.76 million, PSA CPSU NSW General Secretary Stewart Little has demanded the Minns Government embark on a mission to increase the state’s dwindling pool of public housing.

NSW had significantly more public housing dwellings in the early 2000s than it does today. Over the same period, the state’s population has increased by about 2 million people.

The state’s stock of public housing decreased primarily due to redevelopments, sales, transfers to community housing providers, and demolition of ageing properties. While new social housing has been built, it has generally not kept pace with population growth or losses from the public housing portfolio.

“Entire generations are being priced out of the housing market or being forced to move a long way from major employment hubs,” said Mr Little. “We’ve seen the loss of public housing in areas such as The Rocks and Millers Point [pictured], which has been replaced en masse by short-term rental properties, turning what was once a thriving residential neighbourhood into a theme park for tourists.

“The State Government can take a leading role and develop more public housing and work to lower the cost of living in our great state.”