HOUSING is a major issue across the Cowper electorate with the obvious need for affordable accommodation seen in people sleeping rough on the streets and in the parks around the Coffs Coast.

While the reasons for homelessness and the need for housing are complex with no quick solution, that does not mean we can’t work together to find a range of solutions.

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The Bellingen-based Housing Matters Action Group (HMAG) has been advocating on local and regional housing issues since 2018 and wants to highlight the crisis in the lead up to the Federal election.

To this end HMAG is hosting an online Meet-the-Candidates event on Thursday, 28 April focusing specifically on housing issues across the Cowper electorate.

The organisers say this free online event is designed so everyone across Cowper can hear the candidates speak on this important issue and discuss what can be done about the regional housing crisis.

“Housing is something that everyone needs and increasingly we’re seeing a growing divide between those that can afford the rapidly increasing housing costs and those getting pushed to the margins,” HMAG Vice President Emma Belcher said.

“We need to find real solutions and commitments from our elected representatives because if we leave it to the market, we’re only going to get more of the same.”

This moderated conversation will be facilitated by Housing Matters Chairperson Kerry Pearse.

There will be a number of pre-set questions as well as questions from attendees.

Topics will include: housing and climate change, cost of housing, the role of government in the housing system and solutions, social housing and new models.

Currently confirmed to attend are Caz Heise (Independents), Keith McMullen (Labor), Timothy Nott (Greens), Joshua Fairhall (UAP) and Faye Aspiotis (One Nation).

HMAG invites all Cowper residents to Zoom in on Thursday, 28 April from 5.30-7:00pm
Visit www.events.humanitix.com/cowper-federal-election-meet-the-candidates.

For more information contact Emma Belcher on 0413 661 864 or email emma@housingmatters.org.au.

By Andrea FERRARI