PSA media release:

The mid north coast will bear the brunt of plans to slash almost 200 jobs and close offices of Housing NSW, without a word of protest from the National’s Member for Coffs Harbour, Andrew Fraser, said the Public Service Association (PSA).

The effects will be felt from Woolgoolga to Port Macquarie with the region hit by 25% of the total state wide cuts.

Former Minister for Social Housing, Brad Hazzard announced in October 2016 the state will put to tender the transfer on a leasehold basis of 18,000 public housing properties, placing management in non-government /private hands.

Rather than this transfer, with associated job losses, being spread evenly aross the state, the mid north coast is one of four regions where everything will go.

“The National’s  Member for Coffs Harbour, Andrew Fraser has been very vocal about the importance of jobs and services in the region,” said PSA Assistant General Secretary, Troy Wright.

“Now with Public Housing about to be literally wiped off the map in the area he has not said a word.”

“The question is why is the mid North Coast being singled out and hit with a quarter of the job cuts in Housing across the state?”

The only winners will be investors and developers, not the people of NSW with some familiar names emerging.

“Serco, best known for the operation of private prisons, have, somewhat ironically  already expressed an interest in a stake in the outsourced public housing market,” said Troy Wright.

In addition to arranging critical accommodation for some of society’s most disadvantaged, Housing NSW workers also provide comprehensive support to tenants enabling access to a wide range of disability and other services.

The job cuts and office closures will have a devastating impact on the mid north coast.

“Job cuts in regional areas are felt far more deeply in rural regions than in metropolitan areas due to the direct impact on local economies and communities,” said Troy Wright.

Offices will also be closed, jobs slashed and properties transferred in the following areas:

• Hunter New England District, excluding the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie local government areas

• Northern Sydney District, excluding the Ivanhoe estate

• Shoalhaven Local Government Area.