New data released though Budget Estimates (see page 5, question 13) shows the severity of the housing crisis, with 2,911 Tasmanian children confirmed to be without a fixed address, stranded on the social housing waitlist.
TasCOSS CEO, Ms Paula Wriedt, said the fact young people are being placed at added risk should be of immense concern to Tasmanians.
“These are children that are living in a state of heightened uncertainty, which impacts on their safety, wellbeing and relationships, and the ability to access schooling and other opportunities,” Ms Wriedt said.
“Of the 5,507 applications on the social housing register (as of April 2026), we have learned though the Budget Estimates process that this in fact represents 9,504 Tasmanians, of which 2,911 are minors and 28% (1,539) of applicants have families with one or more children.
“Supporting our children and young people is one of our greatest priorities, and the Government must simply do better when it comes to providing suitable housing options.
“The social housing waitlist is a key barometer for the state of housing in Tasmania, yet it continues to swell to record-highs.
“89 weeks, or close to two years — the average wait time for priority applications — is too long for anyone to wait for a roof over their head, let alone a child.
“We’re concerned the Government has dropped the ball when it comes to social housing.
“We appreciate the Government coming to the realisation that Homes Tasmania was not delivering on its targets and committing to do better, but the fact remains that the Government has only delivered 776 social homes towards its target of 2,000 social homes by 30 June 2027.
“In actual terms, they are less that halfway towards the target three years in, with 14 months left to build 1,224 homes.*
“Now more than ever, we need bold leadership from the Government, including a clear commitment backed by action to meeting the housing needs of Tasmanians on the lowest incomes.”
* Accounting for the fact data is only available up to the end of April 2026.
For more information and analysis, please refer to Topic 1: Waiting for social housing on the Tasmania’s State of Housing Dashboard.