Australian PM pledges $2 bln for afforable homes

Australia’s centre-left Labor government said on Saturday it would commit A$3 billion ($2.06 billion) to deliver thousands of new affordable homes nationwide, as the country grapples with soaring living costs.
Prime Minster Anthony Albanese said the funds – to be used by 30 June 2025 – would be delivered to state and territory governments within two weeks, with the aim of boosting public housing supply for Australians on waiting lists.
The government in May said it would include A$14.6 billion over four years in the federal budget for cost-of-living relief for families and businesses, which it promised would not stoke stubbornly high inflation.
In a statement, Albanese described securing more housing for Australians as a “key national priority” and said the extra funding brought government investment in the area to more than A$9.5 billion in FY23.