Coast’s key workers don’t qualify for social housing

Key employment industries on the Central Coast have entry level pay rates that price employees out of both the rental and home ownership markets.

The entry level income for an employee in health care and social and community services is $965.60 per week which is consistent with the range for a very low income household, being less than $1,174 per week (ABS 2021). 

Central Coast Council argues that, therefore, workers in this industry would require affordable rentals priced at less than $352 per week and affordable homes priced at less than $287,000. 

“The same can be deduced for other key industries on the Central Coast such as general building and construction which has an entry level rate of pay set at $984.35 and clerks and private sector which is set at $945.10,” Council said.

“Employees in both these industries require housing options priced at the very low income benchmark to meet their affordability needs. 

“In general, the Central Coast’s prime industries are occupied by low paid key workers on very low incomes.

“These employees do not qualify for social housing and require affordably priced market products within their range.”

Council says priority should be given to the facilitation of housing for people on very low incomes which would service key worker cohorts in health care and social services, trade and construction, clerical and administrative and general labourers. 

“This same approach could be applied to other key worker industries such as early education, sales and marketing and hospitality which are secondary employment sectors on the Central Coast,” Council said.

The comments are contained in a submission to the NSW Legislative Assembly Select Committee. 

The Committee’s Inquiry is focused on establishing an appropriate definition of essential worker housing for the NSW Government to adopt, as well as identifying options to increase housing supply for essential workers.

Merilyn Vale