Matt Keogh (Burt, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I am pleased to present the Defence Housing Australia Amendment Bill 2025, which makes various amendments to the Defence Housing Australia Act 1987 to expand the main function of Defence Housing Australia (DHA). The changes will enable housing and housing-related services to be provided by DHA to those making important contributions to the defence of Australia.

DHA was established in 1987 for the purpose of providing Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and their families with quality, affordable and readily available housing. This housing initiative was and still is a key element of ADF conditions of service, which contributes directly to the retention and wellbeing of ADF personnel.

This bill addresses the recommendation from a 2020 ANAO report on the management of DHA. The report recommended expanding DHA's functions to also provide housing for foreign exchange and visiting military personnel, and philanthropic organisations that provide counselling and other support services to ADF members and their families.

This bill recognises that the ADF, in modern times, relies on the support, services and cooperation of a wide range of external partners and organisations, including foreign militaries, who may require housing support in Australia.

In particular, this bill will directly support our requirement to house personnel coming to Australia as part of Submarine Rotational Force-West under the Australia, United Kingdom and United States trilateral security partnership—AUKUS.

Submarine Rotational Force-West is part of the AUKUS optimal pathway, which was announced in March 2023.

The AUKUS optimal pathway will:

The first phase of the AUKUS optimal pathway includes the rotational presence of United States and United Kingdom nuclear-powered submarines at HMAS Stirling, known as the Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West).

From quarter 3 of this year, a small cohort of approximately 34 United States personnel will arrive in Western Australia to prepare for the commencement of the SRF-West. Following this, there will be an increasing number of US and UK military, civilian and contractor personnel arriving in Western Australia over the course of five years, including some families accompanying United States military personnel.

To enable the activity, Defence, through DHA, needs to ensure that housing for these US and UK personnel is available in close proximity to HMAS Stirling.

SRF-West is integral to helping Australia and Australians develop the skills and infrastructure to safely and securely maintain, own and operate nuclear propelled submarines.

Providing housing and family support to these personnel while they reside in Western Australia is a critical aspect of enabling SRF-West. Housing stock will be made available through DHA. This will be comparable to the support provided to ADF members and their families.

The Albanese government is committed to AUKUS and supporting our AUKUS partners appropriately; however, we are conscious this should not be at the detriment of local communities.

Further, in the spirit of a true partnership, the Albanese government seeks to ensure overseas personnel are integrated into local communities in order to provide them and their families the best possible experience in Australia.

Utilising DHA will ensure Australia secures adequate and suitable housing that aligns with Australian Defence Force standards whilst limiting any negative impacts that may be had on local housing markets.

More generally, there is a need in a range of circumstances to provide housing to people in locations where Defence operates across Australia, including remote areas, to deliver defence capability.

This bill will also enable DHA to provide housing and housing related services to organisations who are integral to defence business, including philanthropic organisations providing important support services.

The bill will also provide a mechanism for the Minister for Defence Personnel to determine that DHA can provide housing and housing related services in the future to broader categories of people to meet the operational needs of the ADF and the requirements of the Department of Defence. This allows for flexibility and the ability to respond to changing circumstances, as and when they arise.

This recognises the changing nature of the defence workforce, which is no longer exclusively encompassed by ADF members and APS employees.

Ultimately, this bill will ensure that Australia's security requirements are met.

The speedy passage of this legislation is an important step in ensuring we can meet our commitments under AUKUS.

These amendments will also enable better support for those who provide assistance and support to the ADF.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.

See this speech in context