Citizens’ agenda: Hammond needs more affordable housing

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Governments can do more to ease the current shortage of housing for workers and families, Steve Hein says – they just need to be smarter.

In rural areas like Mypolonga, there were old farmhouses that could be rebuilt and made habitable just as easily as building something new.

But state planning laws stood in the way, blocking subdivisions, demanding minimum block sizes, and preventing development in food production areas.

“We’ve got massive demand for affordable housing in rural areas on the outskirts of our towns, and houses on farming land that used to have families in them … but are run down,” he said.

“This (population) boom is happening, more and more people want the Australian dream, but it’s beyond them.

“We need low-cost housing for younger people and those who don’t have work: housing they can afford to rent, if not own.”

Could the next Member for Hammond do something about that?

The need for more affordable housing in the Murraylands, and more help for locals experiencing homelessness, was one of the top issues raised in Murray Bridge News’ 2026 election survey.

Governments seemed to treat housing as an investment pathway, not a human right, one respondent said – there were “too many tax advantages”.

Homelessness was a related problem, another said: “We need to look after everyone.”

We put the question to each of the candidates for Hammond who we were able to contact.

If elected, how will you increase the supply of affordable housing for renters and buyers, and what will you do for locals experiencing homelessness?

Robert Roylance, One Nation

If elected, I will work to increase the supply of affordable housing by addressing the real causes of the crisis. South Australia is facing record demand because population growth has far outpaced housing construction. I support reducing immigration to a sustainable level so local families are not pushed out of the market. I also support increasing supply by banning foreign ownership of residential property, streamlining land releases, speeding up building approvals and identifying under used government land for development. Reducing government fees, taxes and charges will help lower the cost of building a home and make it easier for first home buyers to enter the market. For locals experiencing homelessness, I support partnerships with community organisations and incentives for low-cost housing so vulnerable people have safe accommodation and a pathway to stability.

Ruby Eckermann, Animal Justice

Everyone has the right to adequate housing. The Animal Justice Party urges the federal, state and territory governments to meet their international obligations to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, stable housing that provides privacy, space, security, lighting, heating/ventilation, sanitation and reasonable access to essential services. AJP will support housing initiatives to help people enter the housing market, release land for development – particularly in regional areas such as in and around the Hammond electorate.  We will push to increase the supply of public and community housing including an adjustment to negative gearing and capital gains tax to favour affordability over investor profit. AJP will also support any further inquiries or trials to look at the underlying economics and effectiveness of interventions to prevent homelessness.

Carmelo Graziano, United Voice

I believe the family home is the foundation of everything. When people feel secure in their homes, it strengthens families, communities and the broader economy. Across Hammond and regional South Australia, more people are struggling to find affordable housing or secure rentals. That uncertainty places enormous pressure on families and can have a serious impact on mental health. If elected, I would support increasing housing supply in regional areas while ensuring development benefits local communities. This includes sensible planning, support for regional construction, and identifying land that can be used for housing in growing communities. Strong communities start with strong households. When families have stability at home, it creates the foundation for employment, wellbeing and community life.

Adrian Pederick, Liberal

A Hurn Liberal government would introduce a $40 million Build Better Fund. This would give our builders access to the cutting-edge technology to pursue modern methods of construction, like 3D printing and modular construction. This will help builders build homes quicker. The longer homes take to build, the worse the housing crisis becomes, and it’s clear that new solutions are needed in this space. To catch up on the rapidly increasing demand for housing in our state, we need to speed up the rate at which we build. A Hurn Liberal government will abolish stamp duty for first home buyers for existing properties up to $1 million, as well as waive the mortgage registration fee. Abolishing this upfront cost will help South Australians get into their home sooner while also giving more choice to families and young people struggling to get into the home they want.

Lucas Hope, independent

Affordable housing in Hammond is a bloody joke. Rents are through the roof, young families can’t buy, and decent locals are ending up on couches or worse because there just aren’t enough homes. A big part of the problem is the huge national migration intake pouring extra demand into an already strangled market— we needed to cut it, like, yesterday. When even some recent migrants are saying the numbers are too high and putting unbearable strain on housing, you know it’s a real issue. If you put me in, I’ll hit the federal government hard for a proper temporary cut to migration right now. Here in SA, I’ll fight to smash the red tape and get heaps more affordable homes built fast for renters and buyers across our region. For locals facing homelessness, I’ll push for more crisis beds, real support, and quick pathways into stable places —no one gets left behind.

Nicole Palachicky, Greens

The Greens would:

• Increase funding for emergency shelters and support services, ensuring rapid expansion of available beds with new facilities operational in 6-12 months
• Invest in temporary housing – tiny homes, refurbished buildings, and mobile units – to provide immediate shelter within 3-6 months
• Expand transitional housing programs offering both accommodation and support, enabling individuals to move towards permanent housing, typically established in 6-12 months through partnerships
• Fund mental health, addiction support, and job training programs for homeless individuals, leveraging existing infrastructure to roll out services in 3-6 months
• Provide access to some of the 81,000 vacant houses across South Australia
• End the public housing wait list by establishing a public builder and constructing 20,000 new homes in four years
• Mandate all new developments of 20 or more dwellings to include at least 30 per cent affordable and social housing: 10% for affordable purchase, 10% for affordable rental, and 10% for community or public housing

Simone Bailey, Labor

The most significant thing Labor can do long-term to make housing more affordable is increase supply. A re-elected (Peter) Malinauskas Labor government will build more homes and make it easier for South Australians to find an affordable place to live. The Malinauskas government has established an Office for Regional Housing, working with regional communities to address housing shortages in regional South Australia. Labor has a real plan to unlock supply which includes a fast-track fund, delivering more affordable and rent-to-own homes, expanding support through HomeStart, providing stamp duty relief for downsizing seniors, introducing portable rental bonds, and investing in construction skills to boost the workforce and speed up delivery. I’m proud to be part of a Malinauskas team that has a real, comprehensive plan to deliver more homes for more South Australians.

Airlie Keen, independent

Increasing land supply is critical for both home buyers and renters. The recent rezoning win – something I have fought for – along with the exciting developments at Gifford Hill will see a huge uplift in available land supply for housing that should put downward pressure on prices. Whilst the re-zoning has finally been approved, land division can’t occur until the state government’s new infrastructure scheme is in place. It has taken far too long and more land in that area should be freed up sooner. The set-and-forget neglect of Housing Trust properties is totally unacceptable – homes have been left vacant and unmaintained for years. Families in Murray Bridge, Mannum, and Strathalbyn and surrounding towns, deserve safe, maintained trust homes. Just think: for every vacant trust home, that could be a solution for someone who is homeless. Don’t reward the major parties for neglecting Hammond for decades.

Note: Murray Bridge News is still attempting to contact some candidates who did not announce their nomination until soon before the March 2 deadline.