“Social and affordable housing plays a key role is supporting those who are unable to get into home ownership, and we are supportive of boosting its supply across the country,” HIA Managing Director, Jocelyn Martin said today.

 

“However, social and affordable housing only make up a small part of the big picture that is housing in Australia.

 

“The majority of the government’s 1.2 million homes target will need to be homes for the private market. This is crucial to bring house prices and rentals down.

 

“All areas of housing need to be focused on and government policies cannot just focus on social housing and leave out free market housing, it is critical the balance is right if the government is to succeed in its long-term vision.

 

“HIA is calling for the newly appointed Minister for Housing, Clare O’Neil, to reset the housing agenda to address the shortfall of supply across the entire housing continuum.

 

“The more new homes we build the more social housing is freed up for those who really need it, and the more likely it is that ordinary Australians have a chance to buy a house at an affordable price.

 

“Now is the time to show strong leadership on housing. Minister Clare O’Neil together with the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese must reset the housing policy agenda to focus on increasing housing supply across all areas of housing.

 

“The current agenda is in danger of being too narrow and does not sufficiently go to the heart of the problem of fixing housing supply for future generations,” concluded Ms Martin.