Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I, too, to rise to speak on the urgency motion moved by Senator McKim. I thank the senator for raising this issue. I'm glad to have the opportunity to talk about the importance of social housing and our government's commitment to it and the opportunity to talk about the urgency of addressing the poverty, homelessness and violence affecting women and how we intend to fund that work. Every Australian deserves the security of having a roof over their head. Too many do not have that security. Too many are battling homelessness. Too many are trapped in unsafe homes because they have no alternative. Too many are suffering extreme rental insecurity. That is exactly why we are working hard to make the biggest single Commonwealth investment in social and affordable housing in a decade.

There is no time to waste in getting more housing built, and the urgency of the situation is clear. If senators want to see more investment in social housing, the opportunity is right in front of them. The Housing Australia Future Fund Bill 2023 is an ambitious bill. The $10 billion fund is how we intend to fund tens of thousands of additional houses for people on low incomes. In its first five years alone, returns from the fund will help deliver 30,000 new social and affordable homes. This is in addition to existing housing and homelessness funding. This is a massive injection that Australians desperately need.

We know that women, particularly older women, are at greater risk of experiencing homelessness. That's why this fund will include 4,000 homes for women and children impacted by violence and older women at risk of homelessness. It will also specifically invest $100 million into crisis and transitional housing options for these vulnerable Australians. This is in addition to the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children.

At the Senate Economics Legislation Committee's recent hearings into the bill, which Senator McKim attended, we heard about the urgency of getting this done from almost everyone who came and submitted to the inquiry. Housing experts who came to our inquiry described the reforms as 'absolutely urgent', 'transformative', 'critical' and a 'timely re-assertion of national leadership on housing'. Further, advocates said we need to 'start building immediately', and this is a 'significant and much needed new investment'. This is actually about certainty, not just for the sector that builds homes but also for the vulnerable Australians who need action right now.

Again, this is a new funding stream. It is an additional funding stream. It is for additional social and affordable homes. It is the biggest single investment from the Commonwealth in over a decade. There is no time to waste. We are making this commitment after a decade of disinvestment and disinterest from the opposition. Only this month, the Leader of the Opposition said, 'social housing is a responsibility of state government.' We disagree. That's why we're making the biggest single injection of funds in over a decade. Under the last government, affordable and social housing was smashed. Those opposite refuse to take any responsibility. We are taking action. We are showing leadership rather than passing the buck to the states, and the Greens are siding with those opposite. The Greens are siding with those who refused to make this kind of investment over the last decade.

The best way to see immediate action is to vote in favour of the Housing Australia Future Fund. We know that the 'no-alition' is going to stand against this huge investment that the country desperately needs, but the Greens standing against 30,000 additional Commonwealth social and affordable homes is extraordinary. We expect that from the Liberals. We all know that they are the people who turn away from people in need. We know it's in their DNA. They prefer to let people slip through the cracks. If the Greens want to see more people get a home they should support the legislation that is in front of the parliament. Again, this is the single biggest injection of Commonwealth funding into social and affordable housing in a decade. You know, Senator McKim—through you, Acting Deputy President Chandler—that this is the biggest injection of funds in addition to the funding that is already there for social and affordable housing. This is a sustainable long-term model that the sector wants and that people who need a home need, and I urge you to support it.