Dubbo real estate agent Bob Berry on key issues in the 2023 NSW election

The estate agent and founder of Bob Berry Real Estate said the availability of housing was a key issue - not just in Dubbo but across NSW - and whomever became premier on March 25 needed to lead their government to "play an increasing role in the supply of housing".

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"For some time, governments of all types have moved out of social housing and nothing has taken its place," Mr Berry told the Daily Liberal.

"In Dubbo, we've had significant economic growth over the last 10 years and that growth has led to an increased demand in housing.

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"Naturally, the supply hasn't been able to keep up with demand. Consequently, we've seen rents increase in Dubbo, the same as all the other regional towns and cities - particularly over the past three years.

"Unless the government plays a role in the housing supply, we're going to see increased stress in the community and people really under pressure to be able to pay the rents that the market will demand."

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Mr Berry said flats or units - basic units of accommodation offering one or two bedrooms with a kitchen, bathroom and laundry - traditionally provided accommodation for pensioners, single parents, apprentices and young people seeking work in Dubbo.

However, there were no longer enough to go around and due to economic developments, including the renewable energy zone, some of these traditional, older-style flats were taken off the market for workers and companies who could afford to pay "a lot more rent".

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"It is a very simple problem in so much that .... the government starts to contribute to social housing, to take that lower socio-economic sector off the market ..." Mr Berry said.

"Investors only invest where it provides an adequate return - investors are not in the business of providing social housing."

Mr Berry said the Real Estate Institute of NSW (REINSW) Orana Division first flagged the lack of medium-density housing with Dubbo Regional Council in 2005.

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"Council acknowledged it and said they were aiming to provide more medium-density housing and in the 2011 LEP they did rezone areas for medium-density housing. However, we are still well short of catering for the community," Mr Berry said.

With Dubbo's median one-bedroom rental rising in price to $300 a week, Mr Berry said it was "a real challenge out there".

"None of us can stick our head in the sand and expect it to resolve itself, unless things change. And that change has got to come by change in government policy, and greater contribution from Dubbo Regional Council - and that contribution can be working with developers, or even council providing some of that housing themselves," Mr Berry said.

He summed up: "Dubbo has lagged in the provision of medium density housing now for 25 years."