States and territories urge Senate to pass housing bill
State and territory housing ministers have written to senators urging them to approve the $10bn housing affordability future fund, a move heaping pressure on the Greens and crossbench to pass Labor’s bill.
The ministers approved the letter on Wednesday at a meeting beginning a process of considering nationally consistent renters’ rights, which the Greens hope will build pressure for a national rent freeze, one of their core demands to pass the bill.
The Albanese government is proposing a $10bn fund, the earnings from which will result in payouts of up to $500m a year to build 30,000 social and affordable homes.
The Coalition opposes the fund, arguing it is inflationary, and the Greens have refused to bring the bill to a vote unless the government offers improvements, including up to $5bn of direct spending on housing.
The letter, signed by the seven mainland Labor housing ministers and Tasmanian Liberal Guy Barnett, warned that “too many Australians are struggling to find a safe and affordable place to call home, with many experiencing financial stress as a result”.
The housing ministers wrote:
The Housing Australia Future Fund is an important step towards providing more Australians a safe and secure home.
It provides an ongoing stream of commonwealth funding to support the delivery of social and affordable housing.
It also represents an important opportunity for state, territory and commonwealth governments to work together to address the significant housing supply and affordability challenges.
Delays to the passage of this important piece of legislation will put this delivery at risk- delaying Australians’ access to safe and secure housing, delaying much needed investments in acute housing needs and delaying action in the midst of serious housing challenges.
The states’ and territories’ own commitments of $11.3bn since Covid will deliver 34,000 homes over the next five years but “the commonwealth must come to the table”, they said.
Rose Jackson, the NSW housing minister, told Guardian Australia the letter indicated “how important the Haff is to all of us in delivering social and affordable housing”.
If they can’t get it done then we’ll do everything we can at a state level, but the Haff would deliver 16,000-19,000 houses in NSW – we need that.