Madonna Jarrett (Brisbane, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak to this motion because housing is a human right and we do need to work collectively to address the challenges we face in this area. I thank the member for Bradfield for her contribution. Everyone should have a safe place they call home. When I was a child my family provided just that to a number of foster siblings, so I saw very early on how this can change someone's life forever. As the minister said earlier today, the challenges we face in housing have been a long time in the making and they are complex. This Labor government recognises that. This is why we have made the single biggest investment in housing since World War II.

Our $43 billion plan sees investment across homelessness, social housing, homeownership support for low- and middle-income earners and additional rent assistance. Homelessness is growing across the country, and data shows that middle-aged women are the fastest-growing cohort. In recognition of the need to address this challenge, the Prime Minister appointed the member for Macnamara as the Special Envoy for Social Housing and Homelessness. Labor is also working to deliver 55,000 social and affordable homes. We're investing $1 billion into crisis and transitional housing through the NHIF and $275 million through safe places, emergency accommodation, and crisis and transitional accommodation—that's a mouthful—programs for women and children escaping domestic violence.

Labor is providing $93 billion to the states and territories through the National Agreement on Social Housing and Homelessness, and this includes $400 million per year in dedicated homelessness funding that states must match. This is all about providing vulnerable people with a safe home—people like Karen, a Brisbane local in her 60s who I met during the campaign. After fleeing domestic violence for seven years she finally got her own home. She can decorate it as hers, she can leave the dishes to tomorrow if she wants to and she can use the washing machine without checking first. She can live her life her way.

I am also very proud of what this government is doing to help realise the Australian dream of owning a home. We are investing $10 billion to build up to 100,000 homes reserved only for first home buyers, with no competition from property investors. This funding will support enabling infrastructure, land purchases and construction to get these homes built near work and family, and only for first home buyers. From 2026, we will further expand the Home Guarantee Scheme—the five per cent deposit scheme—so that will be open to every Australian looking to buy their own home. Already, over 1,500 in our local Brisbane community have a home under this program. Lastly, Labor's Help to Buy equity scheme, which opens up further later this year, means the Commonwealth government will pitch in up to 40 per cent of the upfront cost of your home, which means a smaller mortgage for first home buyers.

Labor's housing investments are making a real difference to people across the country and the people of my electorate. About 9,000 Brisbane locals receive Commonwealth Rent Assistance, 80 homes are currently being delivered under the Housing Australia financing programs, and almost 3,000 dwellings have been built under the build-to-rent program, which the opposition are trying to demolish. We can't forget that those opposite sat on their hands for almost 10 years without even a housing minister for most of that time. It's always left to Labor to come in and clean up their messes.

Disappointingly, in the last parliament, we also saw the blocking of the Housing Australia Future Fund, and, frustratingly, there have also been local protests against sensible development. This can't continue. We have to be better than this. Whether it's a woman fleeing a situation of domestic or family violence, a veteran looking for their own place, a young family looking to get into the market or a frontline worker priced out of the community, getting a home will change their life. Having a safe home gives people long-term security and stability and a sense of belonging. Their own home will enable them to set down their roots and create long-lasting memories. Labor is working to deliver more homes of every type because more homes mean more affordable housing. That's why I'm proud to be standing here. I'm proud to be Labor; this is what Labor governments do.

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