WEL has long campaigned to improve housing outcomes for women. We welcome the increased investment in social housing in the NSW 2024/25 Budget handed down on 18 June. This funding is a critical and overdue step, but there will be a need for repeated investment in social housing in future Budgets in order to address the ballooning waiting lists.

The Budget includes:

• $5.1bn over 4 years, of which $3.3bn is new investment for additional supply and $1.58bn from existing budget commitments. This will provide 6200 genuinely additional social homes, along with the replacing of 2200 existing dwellings to deliver a total of 8400 homes. Half will be designated for women and children escaping domestic violence. This is a very positive measure.   
• $202.6m over four years for the Aboriginal Housing Office as additional resources on existing budget towards critical maintenance and minor repairs. 
• $801m over four years as additional resources towards maintenance and minor repairs. 

We are disappointed not to see any commitment of funding for the Home at Last service to provide information and support to older people to help them better access secure, affordable and appropriate housing. In view of the well-documented housing crisis faced by older women, WEL has been a part of the Ageing on the Edge Coalition which has advocated strongly for this in NSW. Similar services are already successfully operating in Victoria and Queensland.

The Budget also contains insufficient investment in domestic and family violence supports, tenancy advice services; homelessness supports; financial counselling; mental health services; community legal services and other community services.