Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness. Minister, what has been the response to the Albanese Labor government's National Housing Accord and its reforms to address housing affordability in Australia?

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Moreton for this very important question. I know that the member for Moreton has previously been on the board of the Kyabra Community Organisation that supports people into housing, so I know that he, like many people on this side of the House and others in the chamber, is deeply committed to making housing more affordable in Australia. That's why in the budget on Tuesday night we committed to addressing the cost-of-living pressures by making housing more affordable.

After nearly a decade of more inaction and neglect from those opposite, we are implementing a suite of reforms to ensure that more Australians have a safe and affordable place to call home. As Kate Colvin, who is spokesperson for Everybody's Home, said:

After almost a decade of the Coalition shirking federal responsibility on desperately needed investment in affordable rentals, the new Federal Government is showing national leadership.

Our reforms will help to address the cost-of-living pressures people are experiencing, and they are both responsible and right for the times.

The National Housing Accord has been agreed by each tier of government, by the sector, by investors and by industry, as well as community housing providers. It is a national commitment to work together to address the systemic problems in the housing market, and it will be guided by the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council. Of course, it is an aspiration for one million homes from 2024 across the country. We will deliver in the budget $350 million to deliver 10,000 new, affordable homes. This will be matched by the states to deliver a further 10,000 affordable homes. It commits each tier of government to boosting the supply of new, affordable housing by streamlining land use and planning controls and other barriers to building new, affordable homes. It will also help deliver private investment, including from superannuation funds, to boost new and affordable housing.

As New South Wales Minister Roberts said, the accord will help address Australia's housing supply challenges and enable the delivery of more social and affordable housing. Indeed, he went on to say:

It recognises the importance of states and territories to expedite zoning, planning and land releases for social and affordable housing.

As the head of ACOSS said about the accord, it's 'a serious start to tackling the housing crisis'. Then we had Graham Wolfe from the HIA, who said:

Labor's first budget shows leadership to tackle Australia's housing supply and affordability challenges for all Australians.

Our housing policy and our investments are right for the times and they're right for the future, and we're going to get on with delivering more affordable homes for more Australians.