Clare O'Neil (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Blair is right: Australians are doing it tough right now and housing is a big part of that story. I've been the minister in this portfolio now for two weeks, and I am very honoured to progress the enormously important work of the member for Franklin in her time in this role. I have spent a lot of time since I became minister speaking to people who are directly affected by this problem. I have spoken to a mum with a child with disability who has been forced to move house in the middle of her child's school year. I have spoken to renters whose landlords will not fix black mould in their homes and whose rents are rising too often and too fast. I have spoken to a lot of young people who are worried that they will be locked out of home ownership forever, and I have spoken to a woman who was a victim of long-term homelessness and talked to her about how housing is helping her rebuild her life.

Our country today is led by a prime minister whose entire life trajectory was reshaped by secure housing and, unsurprisingly, we have a bold and ambitious housing agenda. For the first time in a decade, we have a Commonwealth government in this country saying, 'We have responsibilities here and we can make a difference to this problem.' The Commonwealth can't solve this problem alone, but it is not going to get solved without us. That is why our government, in just two years in office, has invested $32 billion in helping Australians with this crisis.

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