BUDGET AND HOUSING

Our budget has kept the focus on more housing for Australians. We're starting to see the benefits of the Albanese Labor government's $32 billion investment to build new homes, with extra help in the budget for people to build, rent or buy. Already, we've delivered the first $610 million to New South Wales through one program, the Social Housing Accelerator, with construction on some of the targeted 1,500 new social homes in our state underway. Applications recently closed for the first round of funding for social and affordable housing under the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, plus our extra budget commitments will boost the construction workforce and cut red tape. They show that we're serious about ensuring every Australian has a safe and affordable place to call home.

While we make up for the housing supply failures of the previous government, I want to congratulate the Older Women's Network Blue Mountains on their Homes for Older Women initiative, which matches available townhouses, units, granny flats, studios or rooms to older women who desperately need a stable and affordable home. I was privileged to join them to launch the pilot, which is supported by many local groups. The first residents are moving into two brand-new one- and two-bedroom townhouses built by a local developer. We'll keep incentivising local developers and I welcome these local creative solutions.