The federal government has declared how many homes each state and territory must deliver as part of its $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator program.
The funding, which is set to deliver 4,000 social homes across Australia, came after the Labor government negotiated with the Greens to get the $10 billion Housing Affordability Future Fund (HAFF) across the line in June.
“Australians in every part of the country deserve the security of a roof over their head,” said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured above). “Working with every state and territory government, our $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator will make a huge difference for thousands of Australian families.”
The Social Housing Accelerator payment is a one-off payment to the states and territories to permanently increase the social housing stock across Australia.
The federal government expects the funding to be paid back in full by June 30, 2025.
The Social Housing Accelerator will build around 1,500 homes for New South Wales (NSW) residents who need them.
The NSW government has received $610 million from the Commonwealth to deliver these additional homes.
NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson said the funding would “expedite the delivery of homes” in areas where people wanted to live and work.
“Housing affordability and availability is the biggest single pressure facing the people of our state,” Jackson said. “With more than 55,000 people on the social housing waitlist we need to do everything we can to get them off the waitlist and into homes sooner.”
Part of this funding has already been put towards a $6.2 million redevelopment of residential dwellings in Riverwood, which was announced in October.
The Social Housing Accelerator will build up to 769 homes for Victorians.
Victoria has received almost $500 million from the Commonwealth to deliver these additional homes.
Victoria Housing Minister Harriet Shing said the state’s record funding had already delivered thousands of new homes, but “there is more work to do”.
This included the redevelopment announced in September of the old Carlton red brick public housing towers – the first in the nation to use the funding.
This builds on Victoria’s state housing plan, Big Housing Build, which has completed or commenced more than 7,600 homes since November 2020.
“This Commonwealth support will help our work to go even further.”
The Social Housing Accelerator will build 600 homes for Queenslanders, with the state government receiving $398 million from the Commonwealth to deliver these additional homes.
Queensland Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the state’s “Big Social Housing Build just got bigger”.
“From Cape York to the Gold Coast and everywhere in between, we’ve made sure these additional homes are going where they’re needed most alongside the thousands of homes we’ve already got in the pipeline,” said Scanlon.
Scanlon said shovels were “in the ground right now” on sites across Queensland to build more public homes, and “we’ll be looking at a mix of methods to get these new homes up as well”.
“These homes will be rolled out through traditional means, pre-fabricated factories, house and land packages, in partnership with community housing providers and First Nations councils, and the redevelopment of accommodation like hotels and motels into housing.”
The Social Housing Accelerator will build almost 600 homes for Western Australians, costing the state government $209 million.
This is on top of the $511 million funding boost announced for social housing and homelessness in the state budget.
Western Australia Housing Minister John Carey welcomed the funding, which will help boost housing supply in WA.
“This will further support the more than 1,650 social homes across the State that we’ve added, with a further 1,000 under contract or construction…” said Carey.
The Social Housing Accelerator will build up to 100 homes for Territorians who need them.
As part of the $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator, the Northern Territory government has received $50 million from the Commonwealth to deliver these additional homes in partnership with the Community Housing sector.
This is on top of a minimum the 1,200 homes the Northern Territory will deliver through Housing Australia and in partnership with the Community Housing sector.
Northern Territory Urban Housing Minister Ngaree Ah Kit said the move will result in more Territorians having access to affordable homes.
“Safe, secure and affordable housing for all Territorians is one of our Government’s highest priorities,” Ah Kit said. “The accelerated funding will also create a boost to the Northern Territory economy and deliver job opportunities for Territorians in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek.”
The Social Housing Accelerator will build at least 230 homes for South Australians with the state government receiving $135 million in federal funding to deliver these homes.
South Australian Human Services Minister Nat Cook said the state government was “pulling every lever it can” to ease the housing crisis with initiatives such as cutting taxes for first home buyers, increasing the public housing supply, and announcing the single largest land release in the state’s history.
“South Australia has already committed more than $230 million for new and upgraded public housing,” said Cook. “This new federal investment means more help for people when they need it most.”
The Social Housing Accelerator will build more than 110 homes for Tasmanians with the Tasmanian government receiving $50 million from the Commonwealth.
Tasmanian Housing Minister Nic Street said the state had not been immune to the housing pressures that were being felt across the country – and any action to help alleviate the strain being felt by everyday Tasmanians “is commendable”.
“I look forward to further engaging with the federal government to ensure that this funding is spent where and how it is needed to put roofs over the heads of Tasmanians,” Street said.
“I welcome the minimum 1,200 homes allocated for Tasmania through Housing Australia and thank the federal government on their efforts to work constructively with the Rockliff Liberal government as we work to provide quality housing for all Tasmanians.”
The Social Housing Accelerator will build 65 homes for Canberrans, with the territory government receiving $50 million.
ACT Housing Minister Yvette Berry said the move was a “fantastic opportunity” to increase the supply of housing in the ACT.
“The Social Housing Accelerator will make a real difference to those experiencing effects of the housing crisis, particularly those on lower incomes,” Berry said. “That’s why the ACT Government has allocated the entire share of Accelerator funds to building and buying more public housing.”
Berry said the ACT government had a two-part plan to do this in a way that complemented its existing range of housing initiatives.
“Firstly, the ACT government is going to purchase around 25 newly-built or off-the-plan properties,” Berry said. “Secondly, the government is going to construct about 35 new homes.”
“This plan will give at least 60 more families experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage a place to call home in Canberra.”
The announcement builds on HAFF and the agreement by national cabinet to deliver significant housing reforms.
This agreement includes a new national target to build 1.2 million new well‑located homes, the National Planning Reform Blueprint, and A Better Deal for Renters.
The federal government has also committed a further $3 billion to the New Homes Bonus to incentivise states and territories to undertake the reforms necessary to reach the 1.2 million well‑located homes target.
A new Housing Support Program will also provide another $500 million to help local and state and territory governments deliver new housing supply in well‑located areas.
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