Peter Khalil (Wills, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Albanese government knows that housing affordability and rental stress are front of mind for so many Australians right now. It's a concern for people in my electorate of Wills and across the country. I would hope it's a concern for the opposition. It sounds like it's a concern for those opposite, yet they are blocking the Housing Australia Future Fund in the Senate. We know that rising interest rates are making it harder to pay the mortgage. We know that renters' costs are going up and are being passed on in the form of increased rent. Someone who is in their 20s or 30s might line up for an hour to inspect a rental property. Once they get in there, they discover that the taps don't work or that it's about $700 a week. They just can't get into the rental market. There's a real pressure on supply.

That's why our government, in the recent budget, invested $2 billion for more affordable rental housing. This is about increasing supply of rental homes by building tens of thousands of affordable rental homes. We've also increased the rate of rent assistance, and we're working with states and territories to develop reforms to put renters' rights front and centre. There are changes to build-to-rent housing, including some changes to depreciation which should add to supply. These incentives provide much-needed support to reduce rental stress and tensions in the supply market. While it's concerning for young people, it's not just young people who are affected. Across the community, everyone is struggling with rent increases. Many are struggling to get into the rental market, and we're talking about working Australians: teachers, aged-care workers, early educators, ambos, those who work in emergency services and police officers. Those who are struggling to get into the rental market are the people who kept us going during the global pandemic and who worked so hard for us day in and day out.

We know that there is this doubt about young people getting into their own home or owning their own home, given the stresses that I've just been talking about. The budget also included incentives that expand eligibility for the Home Guarantee Scheme to now allow friends, siblings and other family members to make joint applications to the scheme. The criteria for the Family Home Guarantee are also being expanded to recognise single legal guardians of children, such as aunts, uncles and grandparents. That means that, from 1 July, more people will have the opportunity to own a home sooner. But that's just the start. There's the $2 billion investment in affordable rental housing, but there's also a bigger part of this. There's the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, creating 30,000 places in new social and affordable housing. It's been pretty clear that it's for women and children suffering from domestic violence. It's for people who are unable to get into the market. Those opposite are opposing this. The Greens are opposing it. This is real housing for real people who need it now.

Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 193, the time for members' constituency statements has concluded.