A report in the Australian on 10 February suggested that the Commonwealth is considering cutting the National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA). The NAHA provides the majority of the subsidies for public housing and funding for homelessness services. In Tasmania, this was worth $28.4 million in 2016/17.
National Shelter have sent out a media release, calling for the Commonwealth government to re-think any cuts to the NAHA. “We need a national plan which supports social housing, homelessness and addresses housing affordability more generally through attracting private and public investment and broader reforms of planning, taxation and tenant rights at state levels. This is not an either or situation, we need every tool at our disposal, including a reformed NAHA”, National Shelter Executive Officer, Adrian Pisarski said in the media release.
There has been little information released on this matter, but there has been a very strong reaction from housing, homelessness and wider community organisations to the suggestions of cuts to the NAHA.
- National Shelter’s full press release can be read here
- click here to read National Shelter’s letter to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull regarding NAHA funding
- You can also tell the PM not to cut public housing and homelessness funding in the Budget by going to the Vote Home page.