Star Weekly - Melton Moorabool - 4th October 2022

Page 1

Established in 1981 as the

proudly serving Melton and Moorabool

4 OCTOBER, 2022

12496404-AV22-21

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SIG N U P N O W!

Housing lists balloon By Tara Murray

A hopping good time

The number of Melton and Brimbank residents needing public housing continues to grow, according to The Victorian Public Tenants Association(VTPA) According to housing wait list data, close to 30,000 Victorians are on top priority lists for urgent public housing placements as of the end of March. Brimbank and Melton, which are both managed out of an office in Sunshine, are recording some of the highest waitlists across the state and sitting in the top five longest wait times. As of the end of March, there were 4510 applications in the area for public housing. VPTA chief executive Katelyn Butterss says some vulnerable Victorians in terrible situations are being forced to wait close to nine months for a property – however, there is no long-term solution to a problem that is only going to get bigger. She said there was a number of reasons for increase in people seeking public housing and it was worse in some areas like Brimbank and Melton. “It’s difficult to get into the housing ownership market,” she said. “People are relying on the private rental market and landlords are putting up the rent. “People are paying more that they can’t afford and it’s forcing them to seek public housing.” Ms Butterss said the cost of living wasn’t helping and many people were finding themselves in tough situations. She said many people were couch surfing, sleeping in hotels or in their cars, while some had nowhere to go at all. The VPTA is calling on the state government to commit to a long-term public housing plan as waitlists continue to rise at rapid rates. “We need 60,000 new social housing places in the next 10 years,” Ms Butterss. “We need a good portion of that to be social housing. “We need both sorts of public housing, we also need a growth in community housing, otherwise the most vulnerable will be left behind.”

■ For

more furry fun, turn to page 14

Nine year old Hunter enjoyed a cuddle with a rabbit. 300063

confusion out of vehicle

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Cute and cuddly animals took centre stage at The Village Bacchus Marsh last week. As part of its school holiday program, the centre hosted Animals 4 Ewe, who brough along barnyard full of bunnies, chickens, goats, guinea pigs and more. Children of all ages enjoyed picking up and petting the little critters during the second week of the school holidays. Star Weekly photographer Damjan Janevski visited The Village Bacchus Marsh on Thursday, September 29 to capture some of the school holiday fun.


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