RANT: Housing is too important for politicking

This week we learned the details of the NSW Government’s plans to accelerate apartment building which, whether anyone likes it or not, will be the key to solving our housing crisis (if there is a solution).

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey revealed that the government would create a $1 billion fund to guarantee up to $50 million in financing for approved housing developments.

This would make it easier for developers to secure the loans needed to start building projects and ensure that they weren’t left with unsold properties at the end of the process.

The state opposition, sadly and predictably, said that the 15,000 new homes represented a “drop in the ocean”. In other words, they let “perfect” be the enemy of “good”.

Some politicians need to take a hard look at themselves. Why are they even in it? Is it all about pursuing a political philosophy regardless of the consequences?

The housing crisis in Australia is so profound that it should not be politicised – but then every aspect of our lives is these days, from health to education to aged care.

The irony is that, apart from the loony fringes and single-issue candidates at both ends of the political spectrum, our parties don’t differ too much in their basic aims, even if their philosophies, such as they are, are purportedly different.

The only thing fundamentally wrong with the billion-dollar guarantee is that it doesn’t go far enough. That doesn’t make it bad, just not perfect.

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