Public Submission

Submission on a National Housing and Homelessness Plan Act 2024 (No. 2)

AuthorsAlan Duncan, Director
Michael Dockery, Principal Research Fellow
Chris Twomey, Senior Industry Fellow
Published12 August 2024

This submission was prepared in response to the inquiry into the National Housing and Homelessness Plan Bill 2024 (No. 2).

This inquiry was established in response to the Private Members Bill introduced by Ms Kylea Tink MP and Senator David Pocock, with the purpose of the Bill to improve the governance and accountability of national housing policy.

BCEC’s submission focused on evidence from major research outputs in relation to housing affordability, including Building the Dream: The future of Western Australia’s Construction Industry (July 204) and Housing Affordability in Western Australia (May 2023).

Conclusion

Australia faces a complex and challenging problem to reform our economy and political governance to ensure that we can adequately house our growing population in a manner that enables participation within our society and economy.

This is defining challenge for future generations that may ultimately determine their level of public participation, trust and belonging within our polity.

A sustained and coordinated long-term strategy is needed to tackle these challenges across federal, state, territory and local government jurisdictions.

A legislated national commitment to deliver a ten-year plan, with clear institutional roles and responsibilities for policy and program development, oversight and reporting may be the best way to ensure delivery of this outcome.

The proposed Act is currently the only option on the table to deliver the scale of change and investment required, but ultimately government commitment will be required to deliver safe and affordable housing for all Australians into the future.