Independent Federal Member for Indi, Helen Haines, introduced a Bill to Parliament this week to increase the amount of government housing funding that will go to regional Australia.

The Unlocking Regional Housing Bill specifically addresses the housing crisis in regional, rural and remote Australia, by making funding easier to access and requiring the Minister to look at action so that at least 30 per cent of funding to go to regional, rural and remote Australia.

“Housing is the biggest issue facing people in my region, in major regional centres and in tiny towns. The Government says it is working on housing, but their announcements don’t have any guaranteed dedicated funding for regional Australia,” Dr Haines said.

“My Bill would amend the rules that decide how the government’s housing funding is spent, making it easier to access for regional councils to open up land and get more houses built so more people can get roofs over their heads.

“The message I have received loud and clear in my communities is we need government to step in and fund critical enabling infrastructure – the sewerage, the drainage, other amenities.

“It’s not sexy to talk about gutters and pipes, but I want to make it happen and that is why I introduced this Bill.

“Almost one in three Australians live outside the major cities. The housing needs and demands of our regional communities are different. The lack of housing supply is a handbrake on our local economies, we can’t fill important jobs as there is nowhere for people to live.

“This Bill proposes sensible measures to ensure we can act on the regional housing and homelessness crisis by building housing where it is needed most.”

The Bill would amend to the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) Act to:-

• Require the Minister to consider what action needs to be taken so that 30 per cent of the National Housing Infrastructure Facility’s annual funding goes towards regional, rural and remote Australia;
• Make the funding application process easier to access for local governments;
• Require NHFIC to be more proactive in helping community housing providers through the application process; and
• Require NHFIC to have at least one board member with regional housing expertise.

“After speaking with the Prime Minister and working with the Minister for Housing on this issue the government announced $500 million to fund enabling infrastructure,”

This article appeared in the Corryong Courier, 14 September 2023.