Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

There is the National Housing Accord and the biggest increase to Commonwealth rent assistance in 30 years. We are expanding the First Home Guarantee and Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee and increasing the liability cap of the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation. There is also extra funding to the states and territories through the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement to help tackle homelessness.

Earlier on today, the Senate had an opportunity to advance this substantial, broad and ambitious housing agenda, and the Senate failed to grasp that opportunity. The Housing Australia Future Fund is a really important part of building more homes for more people, particularly the most vulnerable in our country, including women and kids fleeing domestic violence. It beggars belief that the Greens have teamed up with the coalition to stop those tens of thousands of homes being built. It was a big test for the Greens and the coalition in the Senate, and they failed that test.

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