There were slim pickings for the residential sector in the 2012 Federal Budget according to the Residential Development Council (RDC).
Tonight’s budget failed to deliver a plan to improve housing affordability, said Residential Development Council Executive Director, Caryn Kakas.
“The Government must stop behaving like an absent parent. It cannot choose to stump up child support payments on a whim once in a blue moon. Funding for roofs over families heads must be paid every month and every year on year.
“Housing cannot be delivered on a stop-start basis.”
“It is crucial the Government implements a long-term housing strategy,” said Ms Kakas.
“We need to ensure an adequate supply of affordable homes for our most vulnerable citizens and across our communities.
“The budget also ignores the plight of Australians who rent their homes,” she said.
“The absence of funding for the next expansion of the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) is a missed opportunity. The net result - 50,000 low to moderate income families will miss-out on the chance to access affordable rental housing.”
“The negotiations for the next National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA) are due to begin next year. Yet, the substantial funding in the pipeline to deliver on that agreement is not budgeted accordingly,” said Ms Kakas.
“The next NAHA must include the establishment of a growth fund and the continuation of successful incentives such as NRAS. Both will require financial commitments from Government.”
“There is no doubt that the Government has already done much to redress more than a decade of housing neglect through the provision of a $5.6 billion stimulus to build 19,300 homes across the country,” she said.
“However, a sustained commitment that increases the delivery of housing and removes impediments to supply is urgent.”
“These barriers include the forward funding and timely delivery of infrastructure to communities; ensuring adequate supply of land for housing; unlocking urban renewal opportunities, and streamlining planning application processes,” she said.
“Any effective housing policy must contain a 30-year pipeline of infrastructure funding and progress payments to the states. These monies should be used to enact genuine reform of planning approval processes to unlock housing supply.”
“Housing is a fundamental issue for all Australians. The Government’s budget should have done more to reflect this and build upon previous commitments to improve housing outcomes,” concluded Ms Kakas.
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Media Contacts:
Caryn Kakas, Executive Director, Residential Development Council on 0404 257 540 or ckakas@propertyoz.com.au; or
Emma Clark, PR & Communications Manager, Residential Development Council on 0428 950 866 or eclark@propertyoz.com.au
