Stephen Bates (Brisbane, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Housing. There are 36,566 dwellings under the National Rental Affordability Scheme across the country, with Queensland home to almost one-third of these. All are to be removed from the market by 2026. But the government's housing future fund has only promised 30,000 affordable homes over five years. As rents and interest rates continue to skyrocket, does the government acknowledge this plan doesn't even account for the loss of NRAS housing, let alone deal with the scale of the housing crisis?

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member opposite for his question. The Albanese government does understand that safe and affordable housing is central to the security and dignity of all Australians, and we want every Australian to have the security of a roof over their head. Indeed, the National Rental Affordability Scheme provided rental accommodation to around 55,000 Australians but was abolished by the former government eight years ago. Eight years ago they cancelled NRAS, and homes have been leaving the scheme since 2018, when the 10-year agreement started to expire, without any plan to replace the homes.

There's no sugar-coating that rental affordability challenges exist, which is why we have our $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund which we introduced into the parliament today. The NRAS scheme is a perfect example, though, of the neglect those opposite showed to housing over the last decade.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Deakin will cease interjecting.

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our solutions are long-term and will provide certainty and stability for future projects, with the fund there in perpetuity and the returns being invested in social and affordable housing.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Deakin has been asked to stop interjecting.

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Indeed, we've already unlocked up to $575 million to immediately invest in social and affordable housing, and these projects are underway today. I've already made announcements around the country about some of these projects—of course, the 30,000 social and affordable homes that will come from the Housing Australia Future Fund, and then, on top of that, the National Housing Accord, which we agreed between state and federal governments and announced in the last budget. Of course, our 30,000 is on top of what the states and territories are already doing. The government's $350 million will, in addition, mean 10,000 additional homes which will be added to by the states and territories with another 10,000 affordable homes. And, of course, there's the aspiration of the accord for one million homes right across the country over the five years.

We've also brought forward our Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee. That has already helped 1,700 Australians in regional Australia into their first homes. Our government equity scheme, Help to Buy, will be coming out. And, of course, our National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, which we introduced into parliament today, will be working with all the other tiers of government to provide independent advice about how we get more homes on the ground more quickly right across the country.