Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

(1) Schedule 1, item 4, page 7 (after line 17), at the end of section 15C, add:

(9) The following are matters for the State:

(a) the accuracy (or likely accuracy) of the level of housing supply indicated in the housing strategy mentioned in subsection (5);

(b) the quality or effectiveness (or likely quality or effectiveness) of the reforms and initiatives included in that housing strategy;

(c) the quality or effectiveness (or likely quality or effectiveness) of the reforms or initiatives included in the homelessness strategy mentioned in subsection (6).

This is a government without a housing strategy which insists that, to get funding, the states and territories have to have a housing strategy. This is a government which doesn't have any meaningful policies when it comes to housing affordability but brings in legislation trying to blame the states for the lack of a housing strategy. And the states, led by that well known socialist Dominic Perrottet, the Treasurer of New South Wales, complain so much about their treatment at the hands of the federal Treasurer that they've created a new organisation of state treasurers at which the federal Treasurer is not welcome to attend. That's how angry they were about their treatment in this legislation.

This amendment makes it clear that the quality or effectiveness of state or territory housing strategies and homelessness strategies and the accuracy of the level of housing supply in state and territory housing strategies are a matter for that state or territory—not a matter for the Treasurer, who can't even get his own housing affordability plan in order. These amendments address the concerns that states have raised—not just Labor states but conservative states as well. I thank all states for their interactions with me and the opposition as we have dealt with this matter. I commend the amendment to the House. I understand the government will support the amendment; even they know that this has to pass.

Question agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

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