Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Senator Farrell. I hear regularly from constituents in my home state of Queensland about the challenges of finding a safe and affordable place to call home, including from essential workers struggling to find rentals close to their workplaces and young first home buyers finding it hard to enter the market. Can the minister outline how the Albanese Labor government's broad and ambitious housing agenda is working to deliver more homes for Australia?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We know there are still too many Australians without a safe and affordable place to call home. That's why we have a broad and ambitious housing reform agenda to tackle the challenges we inherited after a decade of very little action from those opposite. We've committed more than $25 billion in new housing investments over the next decade and, unlike those opposite, we are working closely at all levels of government to deliver it.

We're supporting states and territories through: firstly, the $3 billion New Homes Bonus; secondly, the $500 million Housing Support Program; and, thirdly, the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, which will build 30,000 new homes. There's also the National Housing Accord, which will help deliver 2,000 affordable homes in cooperation with states and territories. Homes are already being opened from our $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator, which will deliver another 4,000 new social homes.

Our Help to Buy shared equity scheme will also help boost supply through equity contributions of up to 40 per cent for new homes. Help to Buy is targeted at helping low- and middle-income Australians get into a home with just a two per cent deposit. It will give a leg-up into the homeownership dream to 40,000 Australian households and, importantly, it will help add to supply. It's the homes Australia needs for the Australians who need them.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Green, a first supplementary?

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for his answer. It's encouraging to hear that the Albanese government is taking action and offering support to help ease the housing pressures on Australians right across the country. In regard to homeownership, can the minister update the Senate about the Albanese government's significant reforms to housing, including the Help to Buy scheme and what support the program has received from stakeholders?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Green for her first supplementary question. The Help to Buy scheme will give Australians a leg-up into the homeownership dream. Importantly it will help add to supply. It's not just us saying that. Master Builders have said, 'It will succeed in translating the strong demand for homes that is out there at the moment into newly built homes on the ground.' Even the Queensland LNP leader, David Crisafulli, said, 'Programs that allow equity like this are firmly in our focus.'

A government senator: Did he really?

Yes, apparently he said that. This support from industry and the Queensland LNP is fantastic, and we look forward to similar support from Mr Crisafulli's federal colleagues, who are sitting right over there.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Green, second supplementary?

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for that update, Minister. The Albanese Labor government is currently working to implement its plans to ease pressure on housing, help Australians to buy their first home and get more rental stock into the market. Can the minister outline any challenges to the passage of this vital assistance and how it will work to help more Australians buy their first home?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Green for her second supplementary question. Help to Buy will bring homeownership back within the reach of more Australians, many of whom are renting right now and waiting for that opportunity. But there are obstacles, and they are sitting right over there. Those opposite talk a big game, but then they come in here and they vote against more homes. The Liberals and the Greens teamed up to delay the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund by six months. Every time the Liberals vote against delivering homeownership help or building new homes and every time the Greens delay these reforms, they are voting against Australians who need them.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.