Michael Sukkar MP

Statement by Members: Housing

We have yet more problems with the government’s ill-conceived and troubled Housing Australia Future Fund. We already know that the Prime Minister’s pledge to build 40,000 affordable homes through that fund has yet to deliver one home in two years of this government. Even more cracks are showing in the foundations of this ill-conceived money-go-round.

We’ve got new revelations today that only a handful of builders Australia-wide can even participate in this particular program. One of the HAF rule requirements mandates that any successful proponent has to hold a specific FSC accreditation to work on any project funded by the HAF. This is particularly an issue for the housing minister in her own home state of Tasmania, where there are next to no FSC accredited builders. Absolutely no builders in Tasmania can participate in this fund.

This fund obviously has fundamental issues when you consider that after two years of the Albanese government, not even one home has been built. Now, when there is a possibility that a little bit of money will trickle out, there are absolutely no builders in Tasmania and few builders around the country that could even participate to build any.

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