Pre-fab homes a solution: Greens

A South West-based prefabricated housing industry could help solve Australia’s affordable housing crisis, WA Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said in Bunbury yesterday.

Mr Ludlam said 71,000 prefabricated houses could be built — faster and cheaper than conventional homes — in WA by 2024.

He said the manufacture and installation of prefabricated housing made with sustainable plantation timber would be a boost for the region’s jobs while delivering much-needed housing.

Mr Ludlam highlighted Bunbury’s close proximity to WA’s biggest pine sawmill, Wespine, at Dardanup.

In WA there are 21,000 applicants on the social housing waiting list and those in Bunbury face a seven- to eight-year wait to secure a home.

The Real Estate Institute of Australia’s March data showed the median cost to rent in Bunbury had skyrocketed from $215 in 2005 to $355 in 2013.

The data also showed house prices in Bunbury had almost tripled from $132,000 in 2000 to $370,000 in 2013.

Forrest MHR Nola Marino said a Coalition Government would work closely with the State and local governments on practical workable housing solutions.

Mrs Marino said a key part of the Liberals’ plan would be reducing red tape holding up the supply of housing and construction and to increase land releases for new homes.

“We believe the best way to make housing more affordable is to scrap the carbon tax, which is adding at least $3800 to the cost of new homes,” she said.

Labor’s $4.5 billion National Rental Affordability Scheme, part of the Government’s$6 billion investment in social housing, provides incentive payments to the private sector to build 50,000 affordable rental homes.