The Albanese government has been highly critical of the Liberal and Greens parties for their overblown response to the housing crisis, having now supported more than 50,000 Australians into owning a home. On Saturday, Housing Minister Julie Collins released a statement announcing their accomplishment and renewed their commitment to creating affordable homes in the future.
“This is an incredible milestone for the Labor Government,” announced Collins. “In less than a year, we’ve helped 50,000 Australians into home ownership, something many thought impossible. We’ve been successful in overcoming the challenges of a pandemic and a tanking economy, and we’ve delivered on our promise to create a more equitable housing market for all Australians.”
“The National Housing and Homelessness Agreement with States and Territories will be extended for an extra year and receive $1.6bn, with this being the largest amount of rent assistance provided in more than 30 years”
Since the election, over 6,000 Australians have been aided in buying a home through the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee, which was established in October. Married couples have been the largest group of new property owners during that 12 month period, with single women following close behind.
From July 1, the eligibility criteria for the Home Guarantee Scheme, which includes the First Home Guarantee, Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee and the Family Home Guarantee, is expected to be significantly expanded.
From January 2020 to December 2022, a report by Mission Australia reported a 26 percent surge in the demand for homelessness charities. The report further noted that 40 percent of those who requested help from these organisations were employed but unable to cope with the increasing rental costs.
Alas, only one-third of those affected by homelessness had access to long-term housing.
The research determined the amount of individuals without access to proper housing, such as those who sleep on the streets or in makeshift dwellings, more than doubled within the past three years.