James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The coalition government allocated funding for homelessness when it came to government, and in this budget announced that funding would increase and be made permanent, something the previous Labor government never did. Labor did not leave a single dollar in the budget for the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, instead creating an Affordable Housing Agreement without any way of measuring whether it delivered a single affordable house. The coalition government's new $1.5 billion housing agreement will for the first time provide funding to the states that is linked to measurable outcomes. In addition to this housing funding, the government will also provide $4.5 billion to 1.3 million people this year to assist with rental affordability. These are real measures that will help all sectors of the Australian community at risk of homelessness, including LGBTIQ people and students.