Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The shortage of housing across our nation, which we know is contributing to housing unaffordability, soaring rents and homelessness, is a very real concern to members of this government. I'd like to congratulate the member for Macnamara for moving this motion about a matter of such grave national importance and for highlighting this issue.

It is critical that we build more homes all across the nation. That's why the Albanese Labor government has an ambitious goal of building 1.2 million homes by the end of the decade through our Homes for Australia plan. The 2024-25 budget includes $6.2 billion in new investment to build more homes and support Australians, bringing our government's new housing initiatives to the fore in ensuring that we build those homes. As I said, this includes the single biggest investment in social and affordable housing in more than a decade, with the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund now established and already generating returns. It's an ambitious target, because it just has to be.

Of course, to build this many houses, we need to work with all levels of government to ensure the necessary workforce and materials supply chains are in place. That's why we're working to improve the supply of skilled construction workers through access to fee-free TAFE and targeted skilled migration. We have added an additional 320,000 fee-free TAFE places, and there is a further $80 million in this budget for priorities such as construction.

This is obviously a matter of great concern in my home state of South Australia, and I know that the housing minister, Minister Collins, is working in partnership with the housing minister in South Australia, Nick Champion, who's the Minister for Housing and Urban Development. They're working in partnership to provide more South Australians with a place to call home. This Labor government's Social Housing Accelerator will contribute $135 million to housing projects in South Australia, with community housing providers to provide an additional $60 million. As part of this first tranche of projects, this partnership is set to deliver 369 new and improved social homes across community and public housing projects, providing homes for approximately 606 South Australians.

On 23 May, I was delighted to attend a sod-turning and smoking ceremony for the Uniting on Second project with Minister Champion to mark the start of UnitingSA's latest affordable housing development in Bowden, in my electorate. The $30-plus million project will include 70 new affordable homes and 36 properties that will be available at affordable rents, while 34 will be affordable sales, providing a much needed boost to this market. This is in addition to a number of other affordable housing projects underway in my electorate of Adelaide, such as the Wirra Mikangka project, with 50 dwellings to be funded and at least 50 people to be housed. This project will enable a further 71 affordable and 30 market rental outcomes to be delivered across two apartment building towers. Housing Choices SA are in charge of that one—with partnerships.

Uniting on Hawker is another project, with 24 dwellings to be funded and up to 36 people to be housed. A further 26 dwellings are to be delivered, including 14 affordable rentals, six market sales and six public houses. It will include townhouses specifically for older women. The project has been done by UnitingSA Brompton.

Then we have 143 Devonport; that's again in my electorate. It will be a five-storey apartment building, with 21 dwellings to be funded that will house up to 29 people. This is being built in Prospect by Community Housing Ltd for domestic and family violence survivors and older women. Then we have another development at 164 Churchill Road, with 20 dwellings funded and up to 29 people housed. It's a five-storey apartment building being built in Prospect by Community Housing Ltd for domestic and family violence survivors and, again, specifically for older women.

More Social Housing Accelerator projects are still under consideration and will be announced in due course. We said that we would move quickly to address the nation's housing issue, and we are. (Time expired)

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