Housing and Homelessness Ministers meet in Adelaide

Australia’s Commonwealth, State and Territory Housing and Homelessness Ministers met in Adelaide recently to discuss a range of issues, including affordable housing; the new housing and homelessness agreement in the Commonwealth Government’s 2017–18 Budget; and remote housing.

The Ministers issued a communique highlighting that the States and Territories welcomed the announcement in the Budget that homelessness funding would now be ongoing.

The proposed National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA), which will take effect from 2018, was also discussed, including the possibility of new targets and how policy issues will be managed. The Ministers noted that many complex factors drive the demand for social housing, homelessness services and affordable housing, and that solutions include housing assistance, planning and financing reforms.

The Ministers will meet again in Tasmania by November 2017 and report further progress on the NHHA.