Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Albanese Labor government understands that safe and affordable housing is crucial to the security and wellbeing of all Australians. That is why since we've come to office we've made many commitments and funded many things when it comes to housing and homelessness. We provided $67.5 million extra to the states and territories through our National Housing and Homelessness Agreement to help tackle homelessness. We assisted 1.1 million Australians with the rising cost of rent by increasing maximum rates of Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 15 per cent. We have widened the remit of the National Housing Infrastructure Facility, making up to $575 million available to invest immediately in social and affordable rental homes. We've given incentives to increase the supply of rental housing by improving arrangements for investments in build-to-rent accommodation and many, many more things.

That's why I was so pleased over the weekend to see that we had announced that we were delivering more than $398 million to my home state of Queensland within the next two weeks to immediately begin boosting the social housing stock as part of the $2 billion Social Housing Fund Accelerator payment. This funding will be provided to states and territories within the next few weeks to deliver thousands of new social homes across Australia. Funding will be allocated on a per capita basis, with $50 million allocated to each jurisdiction as a minimum. We know it is really important to support this, and that's why we are creating thousands of homes for Australians on social housing waiting lists and increasing their housing supply sooner, with all funding committed to the states and territories. This continues the work of our new National Housing Accord, a shared ambition to build one million new homes over five years from 2024. It also builds on the work of the national cabinet on renters rights and planning reforms. We will continue to work with states and territories to address housing affordability, supply and homelessness.

The $2 billion in additional funding brings the Albanese government's investment in homelessness funding to more than $9.5 billion in this financial year to 30 June. We know that Australians want practical solutions and we will work with the Palaszczuk Labor government in Queensland to get on with the job of delivering more social housing in Queensland. This is real dollars driving real change and building more homes for Australians. At every opportunity we have added to our already ambitious housing agenda. This significant new funding will help build more rental homes in Queensland and across my electorate of Blair, which is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, and around Ipswich and the lower Somerset region—with places like Springfield and Ripley really topping the list of fast-growing areas.

But, of course, we could do more if the Senate stopped blocking our $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund legislation—the biggest investment in social and affordable rental housing by a federal Labor government ever or by any government in the last decade. It's an absolute disgrace that those opposite and the Greens are teaming up to delay the legislation in the Senate. If they had any integrity on this issue, they would vote against it, frankly. It's up to them to explain why they don't support 30,000 desperately needed homes. To put this in perspective, every day of delay past 1 July is $1.3 million a day that we are not spending on social and affordable housing for Australians who need it today—and, for every six months, its $250 million.

The Housing Australia Future Fund has been backed by key stakeholders, including housing experts, community housing providers, housing ministers across both sides of politics across the country, and numerous crossbenchers across the parliament. Organisations like the National Shelter and the Community Housing Industry Association have urged the Greens to support the bill this week. I have no faith in those opposite, because they fundamentally and ideological do not support social and community housing.

When I was the shadow minister for veterans' affairs and defence personnel I worked closely with CHIA and veterans support organisations on Labor's veteran housing and homelessness policy. This involved $30 million from the Housing Australia Future Fund for emergency housing and services for veterans experiencing homelessness. I was pleased to hear in question time today the minister talking about what that would provide. Great organisations like Camp Andrew Russell in South Australia and other organisations in Queensland could be provided with that funding, but for those opposite and the Greens political party, who are delaying this legislation.

We have a broad housing agenda and we are getting on with the job. We're not letting those opposite frustrate us. On the weekend we saw the $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator announcement, and we are going to deliver thousands of new social rental homes across our nation.

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