Jodie Belyea (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In my first speech, I spoke to the need for a blend of more affordable and social housing in Dunkley. With 59.9 per cent of the Dunkley electorate being low or very low income, and higher than average rates of domestic and family violence and single-parent families on low incomes, Dunkley needs more affordable and social housing. Frankston City is experiencing major demographic change, increasing the demand for a greater diversity of housing supply, particularly social and affordable housing. As it is a designated metropolitan activity centre, this growth will only continue as more businesses invest in Frankston, increasing the need for workers to live nearby. To create and support a thriving community with new facilities, including the redeveloped Frankston Hospital, we need more affordable and social housing for workers and families now more than ever.

I'm very pleased the Albanese government takes the issue of affordable housing seriously and is investing in housing on a very large scale. Some $32 billion is being spent by this government on improving housing stock in this country. This year's budget also includes an extra $6.2 billion to build more homes quickly across the nation. The recently announced Homes for Australia Plan will deliver significant new funding across the country to build more homes, with a national housing agreement due to begin on 1 July. The $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund will deliver funding to build 30,000 homes, 4,000 of which will be reserved for women fleeing family violence and older women at risk of homelessness. The $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator will deliver thousands of new homes for women and families across the country. This will increase housing supply sooner for Australians on a social housing waitlists. The Help to Buy scheme will help realise the aspiration of new home ownership for many by giving people a leg-up, assisting some 40,000 households to purchase affordable housing.

After meeting with representatives from the Committee for Frankston and Mornington Peninsula, Josh Sinclair, Frankston City Council and Mornington Peninsula Shire, I am aware of the commitment by these organisations to meet the needs and gaps—

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 09:42 to 10:32

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