Not Only The Need (1957)

This sponsored film made for the Australian Council of Trade Unions proposes a Commonwealth solution to the housing problems facing families living in inner-city slums. It contrasts crowded and dilapidated city tenements with better homes in the suburbs, illustrates the financial considerations of families deciding to build a home and features highlights from the 1957 NSW People’s Housing Conference. The narration, spoken by Leonard Teale, lists reasons why proper housing is not affordable: lack of finance, insufficient loans for home building, high interest rates and too few rental dwellings being built. Members of building and other trade unions gather at the headquarters of the ACTU for a national conference. They are meeting to determine a new housing policy and program to address the housing crisis. Filmed and produced by Jock Levy, Keith Gow, Norma Disher - Waterside Workers Federation Film Unit (WWFFU). Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) mua.org.au Australian Council of Trade Union (ACTU) actu.org.au International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) itfglobal.org International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) ituc-csi.org