The NSW Government has spent $2,356,044 on hotel and motel accommodation for homeless people in Wagga Wagga since January 2025, according to figures obtained by Greens MP Amanda Cohn. Homes NSW paid an average of $161 a night, with the highest rate reaching $290. Housing Minister Rose Jackson told a parliamentary hearing there was nowhere else in Wagga for people to stay. Local advocates say a serviced temporary camp at Wiradjuri Reserve was proposed, but neither the state government nor Wagga City Council has adopted it.
A future Coalition government would scrap funding for renewable energy projects, electric vehicle subsidies and social housing to pay for income tax cuts, according to leader Angus Taylor. He said the savings would add $31 billion to the federal budget bottom line, more than covering the plan to index income tax brackets to inflation. Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson said banning non-citizens from welfare and NDIS payments would add another $2 billion. Treasurer Jim Chalmers accused the opposition of not explaining how it would fund $110 billion in unfunded commitments.
Housing Australia had delivered 1,607 social and affordable homes by the end of August 2026, 4 per cent of its 40,000-home target. A Senate committee heard that only 57 per cent of these homes are new builds, with the rest being purchases of existing homes. Greens housing spokesperson Barbara Pocock said the government is nowhere near its target and called for a national public housing target of at least 10 per cent.
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All 12 factory-built social homes promised for Wagga's homeless population are now complete and tenanted, months after the NSW Government's original June deadline. Homes NSW blamed wet weather for the delay. Wilks Park is now largely clear of visible campers after council fines and move-on orders, but some rough sleepers have moved into nearby bushland. Councillor Richard Foley has criticised Homes NSW for refusing to release figures on people housed and the cost of hotel accommodation, and he backs a transitional village at Wiradjuri Reserve.
Fewer than one in five affordable housing rentals goes to a low-income household that can afford it, according to a report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. Rents are often set as a share of market rates rather than household income, and broad eligibility rules let medium-income households compete for places. Analysis with consultancy Urbis found 19 per cent of rentals affordable to social housing-eligible households went to them. Greens Senator Barbara Pocock has called for government to build and run public homes directly.
Twenty-nine new social homes for older tenants have opened at Waterford West. Housing Minister Sam O’Connor officially opened Treefern Villas on Thursday 8 October. Community Housing Limited delivered the development in partnership with the Queensland Government. The villas include 18 one-bedroom and 11 two-bedroom homes for people aged over 55, including existing social housing tenants seeking smaller properties. Moving to them can free larger homes for families on the waiting list.
Queensland's target of one million homes in 20 years is running behind the 50,000 a year needed. Only 34,627 homes were completed last financial year, though 52,500 were under construction in the June quarter. The Premier warns federal tax changes may slow the sector, and Master Builders says the state is about 20,000 tradespeople short. At Banyo, a 6.4-hectare former Energex site will include 207 townhouses, 64 affordable housing units and an aged care facility. Resident Kim Weston opposes the density, citing inadequate infrastructure. Housing Minister Sam O'Connor says the land has long been earmarked for housing.
Hay Shire Council general manager David Webb has responded to community concern about the proposed transfer of the Myers Lane units to Argyle Housing. Mr Webb said the aim is long-term, professional management of the six units, which were originally set up with help from the former Department of Housing. He said the NSW Land and Housing Corporation will keep its existing share and usage restrictions, so the units remain for social and affordable housing. No final agreement has been signed, and a further report will go to councillors once terms are settled.
The NSW Government has approved the rezoning of 15.5 hectares of vacant government-owned land in East Tamworth, paving the way for more than 200 new homes. At least 70 will be social and affordable housing, with about two-thirds privately owned. The site sits 1.5 kilometres from the Tamworth CBD, and more than 600 households are on the local social housing waiting list. Homes NSW will fund infrastructure upgrades alongside Tamworth Regional Council. Construction timelines have not yet been announced.
Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors have unanimously adopted an Annual Action Plan for 2026-27. The plan sets out road resurfacing and rehabilitation of more than 200,000 square metres, and the cleaning of 500 kilometres of beaches. It also includes completing new social housing for women and children. Councillor Paul Pingiaro said the plan moves the council's strategy into delivery, with quarterly progress reports to follow. Councillor David Gill said the plan can change during the year as priorities shift.
The first residents have begun moving into Newtown's $49.6m social housing development on Marshall Road. The project has raised the number of apartments on the site from 22 to 77, including larger homes for families and places for people in crisis. The development includes 12 three-bedroom and 16 two-bedroom apartments. Landscaped communal areas include a children's play area, barbecue facilities and seating. Unison Community Housing built the development and will manage it, with funding from the Housing Australia Future Fund. It forms part of a $430m federal investment in more than 520 homes across Greater Geelong.
Thirty-eight social housing apartments in North Coogee have been completed eight months ahead of schedule. Prefabricated bathroom pods and masonry wall panels were made offsite, cutting build time and disruption for nearby residents. The $23.5 million project was fully funded by the Albanese Labor Government and built in 14 months by two Western Australian firms. Tenants are expected to move in later this year through a community housing provider. The apartments are for seniors, single parents, people with disability and people fleeing family and domestic violence.
Three in four people in households relying mainly on JobSeeker or Youth Allowance live below the poverty line, new research shows. The risk was highest for JobSeeker households at 76 per cent. ACOSS chief executive Cassandra Goldie said the payments are too low and called on the government to act. ACOSS is urging an increase to at least 61 per cent of the minimum wage, along with more social housing.
Work is moving ahead on a plan to construct 15 social dwellings on a government-owned parcel in Woolloomooloo, Sydney, which has sat empty since an earlier redevelopment bid collapsed in 1989. Homes NSW intends to provide 13 one-bedroom and two two-bedroom units near transport, jobs and everyday services. Before lodging a development application with the City of Sydney in December 2026, the agency is seeking local views through a survey open until 30 October 2026, with findings feeding a Social Impact Report. A photography contest may also supply artwork for the scheme.
The federal government has allocated $16 million to construct 29 new homes for women and children escaping family violence in Geelong and Armstrong Creek. These dwellings, to be completed within two years, will provide accommodation for individuals at risk of homelessness. Housing Minister Clare O’Neil emphasised the importance of safe housing for vulnerable Australians. The announcement coincided with the opening of a 77-apartment social housing development in Newtown, funded by the Housing Australia Future Fund. This project increased the site’s capacity from 22 to 77 apartments, with some units prioritised for crisis housing.
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Residents near a proposed social housing project in Bendigo, Victoria, claim the state government's fast-tracked planning process allows 'lazy planning' without proper scrutiny. Djaara, the trading name for the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, plans to build 34 houses on the old North Bendigo Primary School site. Neighbours argue the project disregards a 2019 government-backed plan designating the land as parkland and raises traffic concerns. The City of Greater Bendigo supports the application but seeks further environmental assessment.
Victorian Housing Minister Nick Staikos addressed housing market challenges and construction sector reforms during a Melbourne event hosted by law firm Moray & Agnew. The 30 September gathering attracted construction and property development representatives, with the firm's chair emphasising the sector's economic importance and its own significant involvement in Melbourne's high-rise projects. Staikos outlined Victoria's housing needs, including 2.24 million additional homes by 2051, and discussed government plans for social housing and precinct development. He highlighted modern construction methods and the importance of government-industry collaboration.
