Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Since being elected in 2022, Labor has made one thing absolutely clear. We are determined to help more Australians into a home of their own. I have to say, it's quite remarkable to hear those opposite criticise the Housing Australia Future Fund. The member for Fadden points to 895 homes delivered so far, as if that proves failure. Let's be honest: even that cherrypicked number is more than double the 373 social and affordable homes delivered over an entire decade by the former Liberal-National government. That is the record they're bringing into this chamber, and their criticism ignores a simple reality: housing construction takes time. It takes time to secure land, complete design, obtain approvals and build. Two years in the construction sector is the very beginning, not the end, of delivery.

But what makes their argument truly cynical is this: while they complain about delivery, they actively worked to stop it. They blocked, delayed and voted against the Housing Australia Future Fund, voting against 40,000 social and affordable homes for Australians who desperately need them. And this is not a one-off. The Liberal-National coalition has consistently voted against every serious measure to improve housing affordability in this country. They voted against Labor's five per cent home deposit scheme, which has already helped 230,000 Australians get into their first home; they voted against the Help to Buy shared equity scheme, a model proven across the world; they voted against increasing Commonwealth rent assistance for the most vulnerable renters in my electorate; and they voted against our build-to-rent scheme, designed to deliver more than 80,000 long-term rental homes. Every step of the way, when given the choice, they have chosen to stand in the way of housing affordability. I will not be lectured by a party that, when in government, couldn't even be bothered to appoint a housing minister for six out of their nine years in office. That is not leadership; that is neglect.

The housing crisis we face today is serious. It cannot be solved overnight, and no-one pretends otherwise. It demands commitment, consistency and real policy. That is exactly what Labor is delivering. We are working with states and territories to build 1.2 million new, well-located homes by July 2029, and we are investing more than $43 billion to make that happen. We went to the election promising $10 billion to build 100,000 homes reserved for first home buyers, we have expanded access to the five per cent home deposit scheme so more Australians can enter the market sooner, and we are doing the hard work with states and territories to reform planning systems, making it easier to build the medium-density housing Australians need—closer to jobs, transport and opportunities. In my home state of Victoria, we are already seeing that ambition, with an even bolder target to increase housing supply and unlock more homes for future generations. Labor has a plan, Labor is delivering on that plan, and Labor is focused on outcomes: more homes, more affordability and more Australians with a place to call their own.

Australians should not be fooled by the Liberal-National coalition. The Liberal and National parties have opposed measure after measure designed to improve housing affordability. At the last election they promised to scrap existing programs, with no credible replacement, and even today Australians are still waiting to hear what their plan actually is. So I say this clearly: Australians cannot afford more delay, more obstruction, more empty promises. They need homes, and only Labor is getting on with the job of delivering them.

I want to commend the Minister for Housing, Clare O'Neil, for her work over the last two years. In the face of obstruction she has shown determination and a genuine commitment to tackling the housing crisis.

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