20 October 2023

The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) welcomes the opportunity to provide a response to the National Housing and Homelessness Plan Issues Paper. Australia is currently facing major housing affordability and supply challenges which are placing large numbers of people into housing stress, insecurity, and homelessness. While all levels of governments have taken significant action to address housing supply, affordability, and the delivery of social and affordable housing, more needs to be done to improve housing outcomes for Australians.

ASBEC commends the Australian Government’s commitment to developing a National Housing and Homelessness Plan that acknowledges relevant state policies and programs to avoid duplication, while identifying gaps and setting out shared national policy objectives for the future. We agree that what is needed is a national plan that will complement, rather than replace, existing jurisdictional plans.

To help achieve this ASBEC recommends that the Department for Social Services works closely with other relevant government departments and ministers, such as Department for Industry, Science and Resources, Department for Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development etc., as well as their equivalents at State and Territory level to ensure consistent policies that support the ambitions of a secure and sustainable housing future for all Australians and to ensure consistency of response and accountability for implementation. We also note that communication and engagement is also required with industry and community throughout the process.

Read the full submission here