• An Albanese Labor Government will establish a National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, to ensure the Commonwealth plays a leadership role in increasing housing supply and improving housing affordability.
• The Council will be advised by experts from a diverse range of relevant fields including finance, economics, urban development, residential construction, urban planning and social housing sectors.
• Improvements in land supply and land use planning have the potential to improve housing affordability and provide a boost to national productivity and economic growth.

Labor’s National Housing Supply and Affordability Council will:

• Set targets for land supply in consultation with State and Territory Governments.
• Collect and make public on a regular basis nationally consistent data on housing supply, demand and affordability. This includes the volume and price of land, material costs, availability of labour, training schemes, enabling infrastructure and time taken to navigate planning and development processes.
• Advise on ways to improve land use planning and land supply which will boost national productivity and improve housing affordability.
• Report on the release of government owned land.
• Report on rental affordability and homelessness.
• Report on the number of new social and affordable homes being built annually and advise on ways to boost the construction of social and affordable housing.
• Advise on appropriate housing measures to be included in all current and future City and Regional Deals.

The Council will also undertake any other related research it considers has a potentially material impact on housing supply and affordability.

The Council will also play a key role in the development and implementation of Labor’s National Housing and Homelessness Plan.

National Housing and Homelessness Plan

The National Housing and Homelessness Plan will be developed with the support and assistance of key stakeholders including States and Territories, local government, not for profit and civil society organisations, industry bodies, superannuation funds and other experts in housing, finance and urban development.

Everyone from Master Builders Australia, the Property Council, Housing Industry Association and the Real Estate Institute of Australia to National Shelter, the Urban Development Institute of Australia, Homelessness Australia, Community Housing Industry Association and the Australian Council of Social Service have been calling for years for a National Housing and Homelessness Plan. 

The National Housing and Homelessness Plan will set out the key short, medium and longer term reforms needed to make it easier for Australians to buy a home, easier to rent, and put a roof over the heads of more homeless Australians.

Housing Australia

An Albanese Labor Government will also expand the role and work of the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation and rename it Housing Australia.

Housing Australia will be the home of the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council.

Housing Australia will also be the home of key national housing programs. This includes:

• Help to Buy
• Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme
• Housing Australia Future Fund
• Existing programs currently run by the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation