Haines: Regional housing remains a blind spot for the Federal Government

By Contributed

Feb 13, 2024

National crisis: Federal Member for Indi Helen Haines recently called on the government to address regional housing issues. Photo by Megan Fisher

Federal Member for Indi Helen Haines addressed an audience of local governments, not-for-profits, peak bodies and housing advocates as a keynote speaker at the National Regional Housing Summit in Canberra on Friday, February 10.

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The summit was hosted by the Regional Australia Institute, the Master Builders Association and the Real Estate Institute of Australia, who spoke of the challenges of the current housing crisis in regional, rural and remote Australia.

“As a regional independent, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak about the housing challenges facing regional and rural Australia, and I am thrilled to be part of this coalition of like-minded people and organisations from across the country who are telling the federal and state governments to do better on regional housing,” Dr Haines said.

“I don’t think that it is wilful neglect of our governments, but I do think that regional Australia is a blind spot for the Federal Government.

“Addressing the housing crisis is one of the most important conversations for the nation right now, and I am working to ensure the voices of regional Australians are front and centre.”

Dr Haines introduced her Unlocking Regional Housing Bill to the parliament in September 2023.

The bill specifically addresses the housing crisis in regional, rural and remote Australia by making funding easier to access and requiring the housing minister to look at actions that secure at least 30 per cent of funding for regional, rural and remote Australia.

“In my meetings with the housing minister, I have urged her to commit one-third of the Housing Australia Future Fund to projects in regional, rural and remote areas; a fair share when almost one-third of Australians live in the regions,” Dr Haines said.

“In my view, the government has missed the contextual challenges of regional Australia’s housing shortage by lumping it alongside the urban shortages experienced by our city cousins when we know the regional challenges are different.

“There is no ‘one size fits all approach’ to solving the housing crisis.

“Regional Australia needs a $2 billion Regional Housing Infrastructure fund because councils need a leg up to build the sewerage and drainage, pavements and pipes that will prepare land for new homes to be built. It’s about building communities, not just houses.”