Housing Australia Future Fund neglects the regions: MP Helen Haines

Indi MP Helen Haines criticised the Labor government and the Coalition, after the major parties voted down her amendments to the government's $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund.

The amendments, moved by senator David Pocock on Dr Haines' behalf on Wednesday, September 13, would have ensured that 30 per cent of the fund be spent in regional, rural and remote Australia.

They would have also required reviews of the fund's spending to make sure the new laws meet the housing needs of those in regional and remote communities.

"The housing crisis is the biggest issue facing regional Australia, yet it is a complete blind spot for this government," Dr Haines said.

"Almost one in three Australians live outside the big cities, yet I constantly have to remind this government about how the housing crisis is impacting people in regional, rural and remote communities."

The $10 billion fund passed the senate on Wednesday, September 13, after the Greens and crossbenchers backed the Bill following months of tense negotiations.

The fund will leverage $10 billion and use the interest to fund 30,000 social and affordable homes over five years.

The government has also confirmed an additional $1 billion will be invested in the National Housing Infrastructure Facility to support new homes.

But as it now stands, none of it is guaranteed to be spent in the regions.

"What I put forward were commonsense amendments to ensure the housing needs of regional, rural and remote Australians are explicitly considered in this legislation," Dr Haines said.

"Without these amendments there is no guarantee that the billions of dollars announced for housing will flow to regional Australia, and the communities where it is needed most."

Dr Haines said she had been working closely with Housing Minister Julie Collins and met with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to speak about the need for the government's signature housing policy to expressly include regional, rural and remote Australia.

"I went to the government in good faith, I worked constructively with them, but it's clear they have no idea that addressing the housing crisis in regional Australia is different to addressing housing issues in the major cities," Dr Haines said.

Ms Collins disagreed that regional Australians were being left out of Labor's housing policy.

"The Albanese government is committed to making sure more regional Australians have a safe, affordable place to call home," she said.

"That's why we brought forward our Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee which has now helped more than 9000 people in regional Australia into home ownership.

"We will ensure regional Australia gets its fair share of homes through the commitments we have made for more social and affordable housing, including under the Housing Australia Future Fund."

To read more stories, download The Border Mail news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: