Having a stable home is the foundation for a good life – it supports us to build connections with our neighbours, our local schools and sports clubs. It creates the conditions for us to be able to connect and contribute to our communities.

But successive governments have not done enough to make sure everyone has suitable housing.

They have prioritised legislation and policy that support property investor profits, while underfunding the construction of state housing at a scale able to meet the need. This has forced many people in our communities into unaffordable and insecure private rentals, and others into garages, cars and parks. Now, the National-led government plans to halt the building of new state houses, sell off state housing land, and make it less available to our communities.

We know from our own history and from overseas, that when governments play a bigger role in building and providing decent and suitable housing, we lay the foundation for thriving communities. We have built state housing at scale as a solution before, and we can do it again.

For a future where everyone has a decent and suitable home – support state housing now!