States Refused Funding for Failure to Construct Homes According to Opposition
The Albanese government has attempted to encourage states to reduce red tape and allocate more resources towards constructing houses, as Australians struggle to afford homes in a booming market.
Opposition infrastructure spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie mentioned federal infrastructure funding as a tool to pressure states to invest more in housing, stating that the crisis has only worsened under the Labor party.
“The Coalition will introduce a plan to boost housing supply for ordinary Australians,” she informed AAP.
“There are various methods the commonwealth can use to incentivize state and local governments to increase housing availability.
“The federal government contributes billions of dollars in infrastructure funding through national partnership agreements and grant programs.”
Opposition assistant spokesman for home ownership Andrew Bragg emphasized the need for the federal government to strongly urge states to invest more in housing. He stated, “We must find ways to compel states to prioritize housing by hitting them where it hurts.”
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“All options are being considered,” Senator Bragg stated on ABC’s Insiders program, discussing the possibility of using GST payments as leverage.
“When developments, especially apartment buildings, are being blocked by councils and states, it poses a significant challenge for young people,” he added.
“Therefore, we must find ways to pressure states and councils to ensure the necessary housing supply is built.”
Nationals Leader David Littleproud mentioned that he had not seen any concrete proposal regarding the usage of GST as leverage, emphasizing that such drastic measures should not be necessary.
“This is a crisis … and it has come about due to the failure of state and local governments to plan and act,” he pointed out.
“Therefore, they must get to work—I believe all Australians expect that from them.”
Littleproud also suggested that bringing in more skilled workers could help alleviate the housing issue.
