Australians will be promised $12.3 billion in new housing programs in a Budget pitch to ease fears of chronic shortages, with new support for women and children who need shelter after fleeing domestic violence. Source: Sydney Morning Herald.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese struck a deal with state and territory leaders on Friday afternoon to inject more cash into construction, including a five-year agreement on social housing that will repair homes and expand crisis support.
A key element of the deal is a $1 billion payment to the states and territories to build roads and other infrastructure needed to support new housing developments, answering calls for more facilities for homes in the suburbs.
Mr Albanese said the new spending would encourage states to kickstart housing projects and would be combined with other policies to increase the number of construction workers.
The $12.3 billion will be spent over five years and includes $1 billion for emergency accommodation for women and children, the $1 billion to the states and territories for roads and other facilities, and a new $9.3 billion national agreement on social housing.
With voters worried that the increase in the migration intake has made the housing shortage worse, the Government will also promise a new agreement with the higher education sector to require universities to add more accommodation for overseas students.
Separately, the Government is preparing a new law to set a cap on the number of international student places the universities can offer each year.
Greens housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather last week blamed the Government for doing too little to fix what he called a broken housing system, given a report from the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council that showed housing affordability was worsening.
FULL STORY
Labor adds billions to state deals on housing (By David Crowe, Sydney Morning Herald)
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