Pat Conaghan Federal Member for Cowper is calling on Labor to facilitate real and immediate action in the face of the escalating housing crisis, urging the Albanese Government to form a National Housing Summit.

“The issues of homelessness, rental stress and mortgage stress are ever increasing, particularly in the regions. The flow on effect of city dwellers being priced out of the metro market, coupled with the greater ability to work remotely, has regions like my electorate of Cowper on the Mid North Coast at breaking point,” Mr Conaghan said.

“We are seeing increases in regional populations at unprecedented rates, which is driving up regional property prices and rents to levels well outside the reach of the average family.

“This isn’t only affecting our most vulnerable, it’s affecting full-time working mums and dads, the young and the old. The increased demand has seen vacancy rates hit an all-time low, with the level of competition on every property now at a frenzy.

“We have a supply and demand issue, it boils down to that, and we need solutions to increase that supply and quickly. This requires all levels of government – local councils, state and federal, to work together to remove red tape. We also need to be working closely with industry to incentivise practical development.”

He has the backing of The Nationals party leader David Littleproud, who has heard firsthand stories of the housing crisis as he continues the national ‘Listening Tour’.

“Housing has continually been noted as one of the biggest issues facing regional Australians,” Mr Littleproud said.

“The financial, mental and emotional stress as a result is untenable. I’ve heard from displaced youth unable to afford accommodation close to educational facilities who are forced to travel for hours a day just to go to class, to single mothers cramming multiple children into small apartments.

“And then there are our already vulnerable, with older single women being hit particularly hard. This cannot continue. We need to push for tangible solutions and we need to do it now.”

Mr Conaghan noted a need for the Albanese Government to refocus its energy on areas of immediate and real need.

“We must find bipartisan solutions, there cannot be continued finger pointing and buck passing between levels of government. It is our collective duty to protect our communities,” Mr Conaghan said.

“This crisis must be addressed simultaneously. I see housing affordability as the biggest issue Australians are facing today.”