Dai Le (Fowler, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Social Services. The government said it was committing to providing more social and affordable housing in the longer term. However, families in Fowler and Western Sydney need immediate solutions to keep a roof over their heads. It's been reported that rental assistance needs to increase by 50 per cent to keep in line with the rising cost of living, which is leading to overcrowding and increasing homelessness across Western Sydney. When will the government increase rental assistance to help tackle the current cost-of-living crisis?

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank the member for Fowler for her question, recognise that this is an important issue for her electorate and thank her for her ongoing advocacy on rental affordability. The government does understand that rental affordability, along with housing affordability, is a challenge for many Australians. That is why something like the Commonwealth rent assistance payment is so important to help those on income support. This payment is indexed twice a year to reflect inflation and is adjusted in both March and September in line with the consumer price index. The next indexation increase will happen on 20 March 2023. The government expects to spend around $5.1 billion in rent assistance to help 1.3 million households pay their rent.

Going to the member's question about an increase in the Commonwealth rent assistance, as we enter into the budgetary process there are many competing priorities and we will go through them during the budgetary process. Late last year, the Treasurer and I established the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee and have asked them to review the adequacy, effectiveness and sustainability of income support payments ahead of every federal budget. This includes payments like rent assistance. The committee is meeting regularly and is considering issues and developing advice on income support payments. We'll provide that advice to government.

I think, as noted in the member's question, when it comes to rental and housing affordability, unfortunately there is no silver bullet. The Albanese government is already taking action through a range of measures to develop long-term solutions that do go beyond rent assistance. I would like to recognise my colleague who is leading this charge, the minister for housing and homelessness, for her work in delivering an ambitious agenda on comprehensive housing.

Of course, we need to see an increase of supply in this country, and that is exactly the work that she's doing in increasing the amount of social and affordable housing through the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund. This is one of the many initiatives that we're taking. We take the issue of housing affordability, and particularly rental affordability, seriously. I look forward to continuing to work with the member.