Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has hinted that more assistance could be provided to families before the May budget, signalling a shift in the Government’s position as the political pressure from rising living costs intensifies. Source: Canberra Times.
Asked if there would be no new support measures until the Budget, Mr Albanese said, “that’s not necessarily the case at all”.
He said cost of living measures were discussed by cabinet at its first meeting for the year yesterday.
“The Government continues to work and will continue to look at whatever measures we can undertake,” Mr Albanese told ABC Radio.
“We know that the cost of living pressures are there, and we know that the fight against inflation is not over,” he said.
“We’ll continue to look for targeted cost of living relief, how we can make a difference for people without adding to inflation.”
One particular source of inflation is housing, particularly rents, and the Government was keen yesterday to spruik the opening of its Housing Australia Future Fund.
Housing Minister Julie Collins announced that Housing Australia had launched the first round of tenders for social and affordable housing.
“This is the single biggest investment [in social and affordable housing] in more than a decade,” Ms Collins said.
“We’re talking 30,000 from the Housing Australia Future Fund in the first five years and further 10,000 from the National Housing Accord.”
Ms Collins said work would start in the first half of the year on homes provided for under the $2 billion social housing accelerator.
FULL STORY
‘That’s not necessarily the case’: PM hints at more cost-of-living relief (By Adrian Rollins, Canberra Times)
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