Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Stephens for the question and for the opportunity to inform the house on the latest data of the Social Housing Initiative and housing affordability programs.

I am extremely proud of the work that the Gillard government is doing in relation to affordable housing. Since 2009 this government has made the biggest ever investment in social and affordable housing—almost $20 billion. The Social Housing Initiative, which many of the Liberal Party and National Party senators on the other side of the chamber voted against, is on track to deliver 19,600 social housing dwellings, with 16,500 dwellings now complete. Under the National Partnership Agreement on Social Housing, which is also on track, we will deliver another 1,900 social housing dwellings. That is 21,500 dwellings to help Australian families access affordable accommodation. This record investment means that 34,000 Australians and their families will have an affordable roof over their heads when these initiatives are completed.

I can also inform the Senate that, according to the tenant data collected, as at the end of August 8,000 people who were homeless have been accommodated, 2,000 Indigenous Australians have been accommodated, almost 6,000 people with a disability have found a home, and approximately 850 people escaping family violence have found a place to call home. This was all achieved under programs that this federal Labor government has been delivering to support Australian families.

I also point to a program that Minister Burke has recently rolled out and updated, the National Rental Affordability Scheme, or NRAS. When complete, this scheme will provide 50,000 rental dwellings. These are the programs that Labor is delivering. (Time expired)