Dutton Proposes Comprehensive Housing Infrastructure Plan

Australian Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has proposed a $5 billion Housing Infrastructure Program aimed at fast-tracking the construction of 500,000 new homes through grants and concessional loans for critical infrastructure. Dutton highlights the use of 'use it or lose it' funding to ensure timely progress on housing projects, addressing the lack of enabling infrastructure as a key barrier. He argues that detached housing with backyards presents the most affordable option for first-time homebuyers. Furthermore, Dutton suggests tapping into Australia's existing workforce, including early retirees, to bridge the skilled labor gap and critiques the government's migration policies for exacerbating the housing crisis. The new policy also includes a reduction in migration and restrictions on foreign property purchases to increase housing supply. Despite support for greenfield developments, state governments, like NSW, express concerns about the feasibility due to infrastructure costs, promoting higher density housing solutions instead.