Imagine living in a community where your bus doesn’t show up, services are cancelled regularly, and essential workers can’t reach the people who need them. Warringah is currently experiencing this.
Bus routes are being cancelled, and essential services are under strain. But these aren’t just isolated transport problems— they are interconnected housing problems.
Our community’s lack of affordable housing options means we don’t have enough essential workers to live locally and fill the necessary shifts. This worker housing shortage is a key driver behind the transport service disruptions we’re experiencing.
When discussing connectivity in housing, most people think about transport links—how close you are to a bus stop or how long it takes to drive to work.
But connectivity means so much more.
It’s about ensuring that essential workers, like teachers, nurses and first responders, can live close enough to their jobs to effectively serve the community.
It’s about enabling older residents to easily access healthcare and community services without relying on lengthy commutes.
It’s about allowing families to reach schools, shops and other daily needs via walkable, transit-friendly routes instead of spending hours in traffic.
The recent housing forum in Warringah, which I had the opportunity to attend, brought together experts and local leaders to discuss solutions to the area’s housing shortage.
One key theme emerged:
Connectivity is important in creating a thriving, inclusive community.
Below are insights from the forum that highlight this critically important issue.
Essential Workers & Housing Access: Keeping Communities Connected
Zali Steggall, Federal Member for Warringah, opened the forum by setting the scene with some stark statistics.
She emphasised the critical shortage of essential workers living within the community, noting:
“We have 81,000 workers in Warringah, but just under 10%—around 7,800—are essential workers like nurses, midwives, teachers, police, aged care workers, and disabled carers. They can’t afford to live in our electorate.”
The impact of this shortage is profound.
When essential workers live far away, it disrupts the services we rely on daily—from healthcare to public transport. Addressing this issue requires more than just building homes; it requires creating housing that these critical workers can afford, close to where they work.
Infrastructure & Development Projects: Building for Better Connectivity
Louise Kerr, Director of Planning and Place at Northern Beaches Council, spoke about the role of infrastructure in addressing housing issues.
She pointed out how local projects could improve connectivity, but they require coordinated efforts and support from all levels of government:
“We can’t build a strong, vibrant economy… we have a significant shortage of social and affordable housing.”
She mentioned planned projects in Brookvale and Frenches Forest that could increase housing capacity. However, these projects need accompanying infrastructure developments, like improved transport links, to ensure that new housing effectively supports the community.
Better infrastructure means essential workers can reach their jobs more easily, and residents can access services without long commutes.
Economic Policies Affecting Housing & Connectivity: A Call for Reform
Economist Matt Grudnoff from the Australia Institute shared his perspective on how economic policies impact housing affordability and connectivity within communities.
He explained:
“Unfortunately, most of those schemes designed to get first home buyers into the housing market just make housing less affordable, they just push up housing prices.”
Matt highlighted how tax incentives, like negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts, contribute to rising housing prices by encouraging investor competition.
He argued that reforming these policies could help make housing more affordable, allowing essential workers to live closer to their workplaces and ensuring that communities remain connected and services are uninterrupted.
Social Housing & Community Inclusion: Bridging the Gaps
Maiy Azize, Deputy Director of Anglicare Australia and a spokesperson for the Everybody’s Home campaign addressed the misconceptions around social housing:
“One of the reasons we see objections to social housing is because it has become seen as a safety net for those at the absolute margins instead of for community members who support the local economy.”
She emphasised that social and affordable housing benefits everyone, not just those in dire need. We create a more inclusive, interconnected community by ensuring that essential community members—like aged care workers, teachers and healthcare providers—can afford to live where they work.
Furthermore, over 58,000 individuals in New South Wales are currently on waiting lists for social housing, with about 8,000 of those in the Northern Beaches alone. This statistic illustrates the critical demand for affordable housing options that support community connectivity.
People need a space to live, work, and engage locally. It’s not just about housing; it’s about creating a community where people feel welcome and at ease.
Planning for an Ageing Demographic: Ensuring Connectivity for Future Generations
The forum also touched on the future demographic trends, with Zali Steggall pointing out:
“Our future residents are expected to be 55 years and older.”
Zali Steggall noted, ‘Single-person households are now 26.5% of Warringah and are the fastest growing demographic.’ This shift highlights the need for housing solutions that cater to diverse living arrangements.
As the population ages, there will be a greater need for accessible housing close to healthcare services and social amenities.
In this context, connectivity is about ensuring that older residents don’t have to rely on long, tiring commutes to access the services they need.
Conclusion: Creating a Connected Community
Connectivity is not just about getting from point A to point B but building a community where everyone thrives.
A true connection means creating spaces where people can support, care for, and rely on each other, whether ensuring essential workers can live near their jobs or enhancing healthcare access for older residents.
By focusing on affordable housing and smart infrastructure, we’re not just solving problems but creating a future where our community can grow stronger together.
If you’re concerned about how housing issues affect your ageing parents and their ability to stay connected to essential services, I’m here to help.
Whether it’s deciding to move, downsize, or modify their home to improve connectivity, my approach to property consulting focuses on connectivity, productivity, and affordability to ensure you make the best choices for your family’s future.
Book a free 30-minute consultation with me today to discuss the best solutions for your family’s needs.
Stay tuned for my next blog posts in this series, where I’ll be discussing productivity and affordability and how they are essential for creating strong, sustainable communities.
