Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank my colleague the member for Macnamara for moving this motion that allows us to speak on the sheer breadth and depth of the Albanese Labor government's housing agenda. This is an important issue, one that plays on the minds of families doing it tough across the country. Australia has faced a housing shortage for far too long, and we have been putting measures to address this before this place almost from day one. We have funded these measures to match the size of their ambition. This motion recognises the urgent need for comprehensive housing reform and to see housing stock grow in pockets across the country. It's a motion that also acknowledges the Albanese Labor government's commitment to a $6.2 billion investment in the 2024-25 budget to accelerate housing construction. This significant investment is part of a broader $32 billion initiative aimed at boosting the supply of all types of housing, including public and social housing, affordable housing, and homes for rent and purchase. The new $9.3 billion National Agreement on Social Housing and Homelessness is a cornerstone of this plan, supporting the delivery of 40,000 social and affordable homes under the Housing Australia Future Fund and the National Housing Accord. Our government is providing up to $1.9 billion in concessional finance for community housing providers and other organisations operating in that space.

Our government's goal to build 1.2 million homes by the end of the decade is both necessary and achievable. The Housing Australia Future Fund, with its $10 billion investment, is poised to make a significant impact. The National Housing Accord, which includes federal funding to deliver 10,000 affordable homes, matched by states and territories, is another key aspect of our strategy. This collaboration with state and territory governments, combined with investments in infrastructure such as roads, sewerage and community facilities, will ensure the successful delivery of these homes. By working together across all levels of government, we can overcome the barriers to housing construction and ensure that new homes are built where they are needed most. Moreover, the government's initiatives extend beyond just building homes. These investments are crucial to ensuring that new housing developments are sustainable and provide a high quality of life for residents.

Our housing strategy also recognises the importance of supporting the construction industry. The industry has faced significant challenges in recent years, including supply chain issues and labour shortages. To address these challenges, the government is working to improve the supply of skilled construction workers through access to fee-free TAFE and targeted skilled migration. By investing in the workforce, we can ensure that the construction industry has the capacity to build in line with both the targets we have set and the funding we have allocated towards doing so.

The South Australian government, in partnership with the Albanese Labor government, has demonstrated strong leadership in addressing the housing crisis. Through the Better Housing Future plan, the South Australian government has committed to spending $2.6 billion over the next four years to accelerate the delivery of homes. This includes boosting the release of land for residential development, expediting the planning process and tackling infrastructure challenges that limit development. One of the key initiatives is the affordable housing initiative, which aims to deliver 1,000 new, affordable homes across Adelaide by 2026. This initiative ensures that homes are exclusively available for eligible low-to-middle-income households to purchase. By increasing the affordable housing price point for greater Adelaide and supporting pathways for homeownership, the South Australian government is making significant strides in addressing housing affordability. The Malinauskas Labor government is also investing $1.5 billion in water and sewer infrastructure to remove critical barriers to the construction—

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This includes an unprecedented $1.2 billion over the next four years to expand the water and sewer network to greenfield development sites in Adelaide's northern growth front, which is expected to unlock a potential 40,000 new allotments. The changes include streamlining the code amendment process and resulting land division, which will significantly reduce the timeframe to turn an empty block of land into a housing development. These moves are, in large part, thanks to the good work of my predecessor, the former member for Spence, Nick Champion, who is now the South Australian Minister for Housing and Urban Development and Minister for Planning.

These efforts complement the Albanese Labor government's housing reform agenda, an agenda that is generationally significant. By investing in social and affordable housing, supporting renters and promoting homeownership, we are addressing the housing crisis head on. I thank the House.

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