Housing bill reintroduced as threat of double dissolution grows

The Albanese government reintroduced the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) Bill 2023 No.2 to Parliament on Wednesday (2 August), in a second attempt to establish the government’s proposed funding source to support and increase social and affordable housing as well as other acute housing needs.

The Prime Minister confirmed last week that the bill would be reintroduced after it met opposition in Parliament by what Mr Albanese termed “the new No-alition” (made up of the Coalition, One Nation, and the Greens) when it was first introduced in February.

Reintroduction to Parliament

While reintroducing the HAFF into Parliament, Minister for Housing Julie Collins called on those who previously opposed the bill to back it and support “housing for all Australians”.

“We invite those who stood opposite us in this place or stood outside to stand with us now to deliver that safety and security a home provides, to stand with the states and territories and community housing providers who are ready to hit the ground running with the funding this bill will provide for more homes,” Ms Collins said.

“To stand with the homelessness service providers, who are seeing more people come through their doors in need of homes, because the only way we’re going to tackle the housing challenges we face is if we stand together.”

Speaking to the Today show on Wednesday, Ms Collins was questioned if the threat of a double dissolution election was real, to which she stated: “[W]hat it shows is that we’re serious about trying to get this bill through Parliament.

“We want to get this bill through the Parliament and we’re deadly serious about getting it through Parliament.”

When asked about the possibility of the government meeting a compromise with the Greens she repeated the Prime Minister’s stance and declared that the government could not enforce rent caps across the country as the Greens were requesting because they “do not have the powers to do what the Greens are asking”.

One of the obstacles facing the legislation is the Greens’ demand for the government to put a freeze on rent increases and implement rent caps across the nation by offering the states and territories an additional incentive fund of $1 billion a year.

The Adam Bandt-led party also requested the government guarantee at least $2.5 billion a year is spent directly on public, community, and affordable housing.

Speaking to ABC RN on Wednesday morning, the Prime Minister was asked if the Albanese government was willing to meet the Greens’ demands to get the HAFF passed.

During the interview, Mr Albanese said there had already been “substantial negotiations occurring” but said their demands would require negotiation with every state premier and chief minister, which was “something that can’t be done”.

Mr Albanese said: “We provided $2 billion for public housing for the states going forward. The advice that we got at that time was, that was the maximum amount.

“The Greens talk about figures and money like it’s Monopoly. Like you can just promise an amount and something will happen.

“What we wanted to do was to make sure, what’s the maximum amount that the capacity is there with skill shortages with supply chain issues in the economy? What’s the most we could do? And the advice that we got was $2 billion was the right amount of additional injection.”

Building industry welcomes HAFF reintroduction

Following the reintroduction, Housing Industry Australia (HIA) declared the HAFF bill was an “essential step” even though it was not the “complete answer to address housing supply”.

HIA deputy managing director Jocelyn Martin said the organisation forecast 2024 to have the lowest volumes of new homes commencing construction since 2012.

Ms Martin said: “The housing supply problem is complex and requires a coordinated approach across all levels of government. The Housing Australia Future Fund bill 2023 does place important mechanisms to invest more on social housing.

“But the bill doesn’t stop there, they provide the impetus to bring federal, state and local governments together to address planning issues and improve the quality of housing data so that investment is where it is most needed.

“The bill is not the complete answer to address housing supply. No one thing is, but they are an essential step in putting key decision makers on the same page and accountable. It allows for the possibility that issues of rental affordability, investment and the supply of new homes can be addressed as a whole instead,” Ms Martin stated.

Master Builders Australia also came out in support of the bill with its CEO Denita Wawn declaring, “there is no silver bullet to the housing crisis, but the HAFF is a vital piece in the housing puzzle”.

“It’s one of ten measures to support better planning outcomes; more assistance for renters, homelessness support; and investment in social, affordable, first home buyer, key worker housing and housing for vulnerable people,” Ms Wawn said.

“It’s critical that we address housing affordability and supply instead of prolonging action and allowing further deterioration in the market. We cannot afford to play politics with the lives of many Australians who are struggling to absorb the increases in the cost of living and housing costs.

“We need to get as many low-cost rental premises into the market as possible and resist short-term band-aid solutions of rental interventions that do nothing to boost housing supply,” she said.

The Property Council of Australia also welcomed the renewed effort, with chief executive Mike Zorbas stating last week that “the HAFF is the shot in the arm the nation needs to close the housing deficit”.

“The 30,000 new social and affordable houses that hang in the balance need to be green-lighted by all senators as soon as possible,” Mr Zorbas declared.

“Beyond the HAFF, the fastest paths to new housing remain setting housing targets, creating incentives for more supply and fixing broken state planning systems.”

[Related: Labor renews Housing Australia Future Fund push]