Fears of homelessness as housing affordability schemes slashed
Housing affordability was the focus in Senate Estimates Committee hearings today after over half a billion dollars was cut in the budget from programs designed to address Australia’s housing affordability crisis. Charities say homelessness will rise and families will suffer after funding for the National Rental Affordability Scheme was stripped. Greens Senator Scott Ludlam says it’s not the only housing program affected.
The National Rental Affordability Scheme is no longer being funded, the Housing Supply Council was abolished in November 2013, along with the Prime Minister’s Council on Homelessness and the COAG body co-ordinating funding between the Commonwealth and the States. When asked how many people would be made homeless by the cumulative effect of budget cuts, Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells was unable to provide an answer.