A fair share for regional housing
Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home.
Unlocking regional housing
Everyone deserves a safe and affordable home. We’re in a housing crisis and people are stressed because they either can’t find somewhere to live or can’t keep up with their rent or mortgage payments.
The supply of new homes has not kept up with demand. In regional areas, this is made worse by the lack of basic infrastructure – the pipes, pits, and poles needed for new development.
Both major parties focus too much on the cities when it comes to solving the housing crisis and it’s leaving our regions behind.
Despite more than $30 billion in new housing commitments from this Government, there are no initiatives specifically focused on increasing housing in regional areas.
That’s why I’m pushing for a $2 billion Regional Housing Infrastructure Fund, which will help provide essential infrastructure for new homes in regional areas. This funding would provide competitive grants over 5 years, open to local governments, public corporations and utility providers, and community housing.
After years as one of the sole voices for regional Australia, we’ve heard the Prime Minister acknowledge they need to do more to enable infrastructure for regional housing. We’ve also seen a commitment from the Coalition to my policy to direct a third of housing funding to the regions. I want to see this guaranteed through a dedicated Regional Housing Infrastructure Fund.
My record ⤵
I’ve led the charge on this issue in the Parliament and my policy for a Regional Infrastructure Fund builds on this work.
I’ve made the case directly to the Prime Minister, the former and current Housing Ministers and the Infrastructure Minister for investment in enabling infrastructure. Just weeks after meeting with the Prime Minister, the Government announced the $500 million Housing Support Program to fund enabling infrastructure
In 2023, I introduced legislation to guarantee dedicated funding for enabling infrastructure in regional, rural and remote Australia. In 2024, I introduced an updated Fair Share for Regional Housing Bill to make it clear that regional Australia needs a fair share and to centre government action at local governments and community.
Regional voices will also be heard following my successful amendments to the Government’s housing legislation.
The work I’ve done in the last two years has reaped rewards in getting a focus on the needs of regional Australia, but we can’t stop there. We’ve got funding coming through, but it’s simply not enough and not sustainable. I want to see a bigger, long-term vision for ensuring we have housing security and affordability in regional Australia.
Increasing support for renters
In Indi, more than 40% of renters experience rental stress. More than 60% of homeowners are finding it hard to pay the mortgage and juggle their bills. And the shortage of homes is a barrier to attracting essential workers to the regions.
I support changes to give renters more assistance.
Making home ownership more affordable
The housing crisis is making it hard for everyone. The sad reality is that for an entire generation of Australians, the prosect of home ownership – or even finding a secure rental – feels out of reach and unattainable, and this is keenly felt in regional areas.
Parents are worried about the financial security for their children in the future.
I want to see changes that make the dream of owning a home more attainable for Australians.