Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With the rising cost of housing, rents are rising and so too is homelessness. It's a serious social issue in my electorate and elsewhere throughout Australia that must be addressed. I therefore look forward to the implementation of the Albanese Labor government's housing plan to provide 30,000 social and affordable houses. Yesterday, the South Australian Malinauskas Labor government announced that contracts have been signed to build 400 new public houses, with 200 to be built in the Greater Adelaide area, 150 in regional South Australia and 50 specifically for people experiencing homelessness. My view is that building more public housing is the most effective way of responding to the growing housing crisis. And can I say it's something that I've been calling on for some time, when in fact state governments have been off-loading public housing.

Increased public housing puts a lid on the house prices and rents and puts a roof over the heads of those who may otherwise be homeless. I commend the South Australian Labor government's commitment to public housing and urge other state governments to do the same.