AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKING GROUP IN AUSTRALIA

The Working Group acknowledges that there are a few issues more important to ensuring the welfare of Australians than housing. From a social perspective, housing provides a stable base from which Australians can participate in their communities. Housing assists with family formation and security in retirement and promotes and improves employment, education, and health outcomes. From an economic perspective, housing has a significant impact on investment, productivity, and participation, as well as consumption and saving trends across the economy. The Working Group will focus primarily on improving the supply of affordable housing, through the introduction of innovative, transformative, and implementable financing models. These models will focus on the social housing sector, and the private rental market, and be targeted at low-income households. The Working Group is seeking proposals that improve the supply of affordable housing, and maximize the effectiveness of government expenditure. The working Group will focus on the twin goals of maintaining a strong social housing safety net for those on the lowest incomes and in the greatest need, while also facilitating large-scale market investment in an affordable rental market.