Anthony Albanese pledges $10billion to build 30,000 affordable homes in Labor’s budget reply

Anthony Albanese pledges $10billion to build 30,000 affordable homes for vulnerable Australians and support for apprentices training for renewable energy jobs in Labor’s budget reply

  • Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese gave budget reply speech on Thursday
  • He pledged to build 30,000 social and affordable houses through $10b fund
  • Money to create fund would be borrowed and not come from federal budget
  • Mr Albanese pledged $100m to support 10,000 apprentices in renewable fields
  • The Labor leader also promised to implement federal wage theft laws

Labor has pledged to build 30,000 social and affordable houses over five years through a $10billion future fund if the party wins the next federal election.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese used Thursday’s budget reply speech to reveal his plans to create the kitty from borrowed money.

In its first five years, investment returns would build 20,000 social houses with 4,000 allocated for women and children fleeing domestic violence, and older women on low incomes at risk of homelessness.

Health and emergency services workers would be allocated a further 10,000 affordable properties.

‘The security of a roof over one’s head should be available to all Australians,’ Mr Albanese told parliament.

Labor has pledged to build 30,000 social and affordable houses over five years through a $10billion future fund if the party wins the next federal election

Labor expects 21,500 full-time jobs in construction and broader economy will be created in the first five years, with a guarantee one in ten on-site workers will be apprentices.

The money to create the fund would be borrowed and not come from the federal budget.

The Future Fund Board of Guardians would manage it with investment returns annually transferred to the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation.

Returns are also slated to provide $200million for repairs and improvements on housing in remote Indigenous communities.

Some $100million would be spent of crisis housing for women fleeing violence and older women at risk of homelessness.

Veterans who are homeless or at risk of falling into that category would be provided with $30million in new houses and specialist services.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese used Thursday's budget reply speech to reveal his plans to create the kitty from borrowed money

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese used Thursday’s budget reply speech to reveal his plans to create the kitty from borrowed money

Mr Albanese also pledged $100million to support 10,000 apprentices who chose to train for jobs in solar, green hydrogen, energy efficiency home upgrades and renewable manufacturing.

There would be 2500 places a year over four years with $2,000 for starting a qualification and the same amount each year as well as on completion, capped at $10,000.

The federal government in Tuesday’s budget promised to spend $2.7billion over four years giving first-year subsidies to employers who take on new apprentices and trainees.

Mr Albanese said the government’s big-spending budget was all about trying to get voters to forget the coalition’s failures over the past eight years.

‘Make no mistake – the budget handed down on Tuesday night is not a plan for the next generation – it is a patch-up job for the next election,’ he said.

Mr Albanese also pledged $100million to support 10,000 apprentices who chose to train for jobs in solar, green hydrogen, energy efficiency home upgrades and renewable manufacturing

Mr Albanese also pledged $100million to support 10,000 apprentices who chose to train for jobs in solar, green hydrogen, energy efficiency home upgrades and renewable manufacturing

The Labor leader also promised to implement federal wage theft laws after consulting with unions, employer groups and state governments.

The coalition dumped wage theft from its industrial relations omnibus bill despite the proposal receiving support from across the political spectrum.

Mr Albanese pledged to make bosses responsible for taking reasonable measures to eliminate sexual discrimination, harassment and victimisation at work.

The government has come under fire for its response to Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins’ Respect At Work report, which made 55 recommendations including that legal change.

Labor would also offer 2,000 students the opportunity to be mentored by innovative universities and private-sector incubators to turn their ideas into future businesses.  

LABOR’S BUDGET REPLY PLEDGES 

HOUSING

* $10billion Housing Australia Future Fund managed through Future Fund Board of Guardians, which is chaired by former Liberal treasurer Peter Costello

* Investment returns transferred to National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation with plans outlined for the first five years

* 20,000 social houses with 4,000 of those for women and children fleeing family violence and older women on low incomes at risk of homelessness

* 10,000 affordable housing properties for frontline workers

* $200million for repair, maintenance and improvements of housing in remote Indigenous communities

* $100million for crisis housing for women and children fleeing family violence and older women on low incomes at risk of homelessness

* $30million for housing and specialist services for veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless

* Investment returns available in perpetuity for additional crisis, transitional and long-term social housing in parts of Australia with greatest need

SKILLS AND TRAINING

* Up to $10,000 for apprentices who chose to train in new energy jobs including solar, large-scale renewable projects, home energy efficiency upgrades, green hydrogen and renewable manufacturing

* $2,000 on commencement and successful completion with the same amount a year for up to four years in-between

* 2,500 apprenticeship commencements would be covered each year totalling 10,000 places over four years

* $10million to boost new energy training programs

* A start-up year for 2000 students offering mentoring by universities and private-sector incubators to get business ideas off the ground

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

* Laws criminalising wage theft after working with unions, employer groups and state and territory governments

* Laws creating a positive duty for employers to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate sexual discrimination, harassment and victimisation

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