Essential Housing for Essential Workers

Members will recall ACA NSW's efforts to help our early childhood educators and teachers with their housing needs, especially in the context of cost-of-living challenges.

And in response to the NSW Parliament's establishment of a new Select Committee to seek potential solutions to address the NSW Housing Crisis - Essential Worker Housing, ACA NSW has made its submission for the Select Committee's consideration.

Our submission outlines nine (9) recommendations:

1. legislative acknowledgement and protection of essential workers;
2. removing structural planning impediments in order to increase supply of affordable housing for essential workers
3. transparency of local governments to ensure supply meets the demands of essential workers
4. removal of/exemption from government stamp duties and charges for essential workers
5. a new liveability index for every local government area to help essential workers
6. increase the tax-free income threshold for essential workers
7. allow essential workers to pay their mortgates/rents using gross income and before income tax
8. allow essesntial workers to access their superannuation funds to form part of their deposits
9. expand the eligibility criteria of the Help To Buy scheme for essential workers

ACA NSW intends to engage with this NSW Parliamentary Committee and we look forward to its report by 7 March 2025.

Early childhood educators and teachers are obviously essential workers. And without them, our services will not be operational, children will not be educated and cared for, and parents will not be supported.

For any further information/clarification, please contact the ACA NSW team via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au.

PUBLISHED: 10 OCTOBER 2024