The St Vincent de Paul Society says the Albanese Government’s stalled Housing and Future Fund Bill is a disaster for the many Australians whose lives are in limbo while they search for a place to live.
“There will no doubt be knock-on effects with these delays. The longer it takes to get this bill passed, the longer people will be without a satisfactory housing solution,” national president Mark Gaetani said.
The society has long supported the development of national rental standards.
“We were heartened to see all Housing Ministers commit to develop a proposal for National Cabinet to progress national rental standards,” Mr Gaetani said.
“This is a step in the right direction and should improve the stability and affordability of renting across Australia.”
He said the issue with rental caps and freezes is that they require agreement and implementation at the state and territory government levels, and some have already ruled this out.
“We cannot see the point of holding up the bill for a policy that does not have the support of the jurisdictions responsible for implementing it,” Mr Gaetani said.
“The focus should be on the common good and that means prioritising what is needed to increase housing supply to ensure the delivery of safe, secure, affordable and energy efficient homes.”
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Housing supply must be prioritised (St Vincent de Paul Society)
