Labor has pledged an "historic" investment into public housing, committing an additional $195.7 million to build a total of 3500 affordable dwellings over six years if it wins government.
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Speaking at Ravenswood on Wednesday, Labor leader Rebecca White said the policy would house more than 4600 Tasmanians and create 1700 jobs.
"Too many Tasmanians are living in precarious housing situations," she said. "We've got so many Tasmanians who are homeless, who are couch-surfing or waiting on a public housing register for a property."
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"It takes, on average, somebody who's a priority applicant for public housing one year before they can find a home. And it's simply unacceptable.
"The Liberal Party had seven years in government and in that time, the waiting list for public housing has blown out by 75 per cent. That leaves Tasmanians living in situations that are completely unacceptable - and, in some cases, they are homeless."
According to the latest data from Communities Tasmania, there are 3813 families currently languishing on the state's public housing waiting list.
The Liberals have promised to build 1500 dwellings by June 2023.
Ms White said Labor's investment would see 2000 affordable public housing dwellings built across the state, in addition to the dwellings that have already been budgeted for.
The Liberals have said they will build 400 dwellings in the next 12 months, as part of their commitment to build 1500 by mid-2023. In the course of the state election campaign, they have committed $42.15 million to build 450 homes at the Hobart Showgrounds, including 150 social and affordable homes.
The party has also pledged to open up 7.5 hectares of land for the development of more housing.
But Labor housing spokeswoman Alison Standen said only a Labor government could solve Tasmania's housing crisis.
"This will make an incredible difference to Tasmanians who are waiting for safe, affordable and secure housing," she said of Labor's policy.
"I think we've moved away from the developments of the past, where we had ghettoised social housing and deepening stigma within neighbourhoods. We're much more sophisticated in our approach now.
"The key here is to work with ... community housing providers to not only deliver sensitive, liveable neighbourhoods of the future, but also community development in those areas that delivers jobs outcomes and safety and a range of initiatives right across those communities."
This will make an incredible difference to Tasmanians who are waiting for safe, affordable and secure housing.
- Alison Standen, Labor housing spokeswoman
Ms Standen said the Liberals' policies were "literally tearing families apart" and that Labor would work with providers to determine where in the state the new homes should be built.
She also said the party would have "more to say" before election day about addressing rental affordability issues in Tasmania.
The Greens last week announced their tenancy policy, which would seek to introduce rent controls, ban no-cause evictions and change laws around pet ownership.
Liberal campaign spokesman Michael Ferguson said the Liberals were spending record amounts on public housing.
"We're delivering and we totally understand that people need more support, and we're delivering that," he said.
"It's in our plan, and it's in our budget. It's costed and accounted for.
"Labor are plucking numbers out of the air, they're putting an extra zero on everything. They're so desperate because their election campaign has been an omnishambles."
Priority public housing applicants in Tasmania are currently waiting 53.9 weeks on average to be housed.
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