Labor has promised to building social and affordable housing in places like Ipswich and the Somerset Region.

Federal Member for Blair, Shayne Neumann said an Albanese Labor Government is committed to created the Housing Australia Future Fund, to create jobs and change lives.

“There are more homeless Australians than ever before,” Mr Neumann said. 

“There is a shortfall of 4,400 of social housing dwellings across Ipswich and the Somerset Region, which has led to an average wait time of ten years for some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

“Labor’s Housing Australia Future Fund aims to give more Australians a future.”

Over the first five years, Labor’s Housing Australia Future Fund will: 

• build new social housing properties, including homes for women and children fleeing domestic and family violence and older women on low incomes who are at risk of homelessness,
  
  
• build affordable homes for the heroes of the pandemic – frontline workers like police, nurses and cleaners that kept us safe,
  
  
• directly support 21,500 full-time jobs across the construction industry and broader economy, per year, over 5 years, nationwide - one in 10 direct workers on site will be apprentices. 
  
  
• fund crisis and transitional housing for women and children fleeing domestic and family violence, and older women on low incomes who are at risk of homelessness, and
  
  
• build housing and fund specialist services for veterans who are experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness.
  
  
• fund the repair, maintenance and improvements of housing in remote Indigenous communities, where some of the worst housing standards in the world are endured by our First Nations people, 
  

“Local people tell me they have been doing it tough, particularly since the pandemic saw jobs lost and businesses closed.

“We have people on long waiting lists for social housing, while affordable housing is hard to find.

“We call this a future fund because its about investing in people and in our future.

“It’s about creating jobs, providing security and making sure no one is left behind.”