Riverina Labor blames the government for not boosting stocks of public housing, while member for Wagga Daryl Maguire says more low-income earners are moving to buy their first home.

According to the latest Family and Community Services data, it typically takes up to two years to secure public housing in Wagga. For two-bedroom houses, the waiting times are between two and five years. 

The figures said in June there were about 250 people on the waiting list. There were just as many people re-housed in a 12-month period.

There are a total of about 1400 available homes in Wagga, the figures said.

Mr Maguire said, state-wide, there had been a slight drop in waiting times and “Wagga shared in that, too”.

He said more people had moved into private homes as a result of favourable economic conditions and financial incentives such as the first home buyers grant.

“Wagga has had one of the biggest take-ups of that grant,” he said.

“Public housing is not for life, and shouldn’t be for life. Public housing is designed to assist people in a time of need.”

The Wagga MP was confident the city had adequate supply and said the government had moved to enter new partnerships with community housing providers.

In 2013, the Advertiser reported the government transferred about 95 Wagga houses to not-for-profit Argyle Housing.

Riverina Labor secretary Tim Kurylowicz was skeptical of “outsourcing” public housing to non-government providers.

Mr Kurylowicz said there had been a drop in the number of government-built public houses since the Coalition won office.

“The Baird Government have not been the champions of affordable housing,” he said. “I dare say (public housing shortages) have exacerbated, stocks have not grown.”

Mr Kurylowicz said even “dirt poor” applicants failed the government’s “priority” means test for public housing, which speeds up the approval process.

Argyle Housing – one of the biggest suppliers of community housing in Wagga – declined to comment on current levels of demand in the city.