Sponsor speech Supports
David Pocock
David Pocock supported the bill as its sponsor.
Read in Hansard ↗National Housing and Homelessness Plan
Current status
This bill is currently before Parliament.
Policy area
Welfare & housing
What does this bill do?
The bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare and publish a National Housing and Homelessness PlanThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. within one year after commencement, then refresh the planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. every 10 years.
Why was it introduced?
Senator David Pocock introduced the bill because he argued Australia’s housing problems had become too complex and long-running to manage through short-term programs alone. The explanatory memorandum says Australia lacked a meaningful national housing planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. or strategy, even though housing policy crosses Commonwealth, state and territory responsibilities and affects tax, social security, migration, supply, affordability, homelessness and housing quality. The bill responds by putting a 10-year national planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. into law, requiring public reporting, and adding consumer and independent oversight so future governments must keep a sustained focus on housing outcomes.
Broader context
The bill sits in a debate about whether Australia’s national housing response should be a legislated, long-term framework rather than a set of funding agreements and programs. The local sources show three main drivers: worsening affordability and homelessness pressures, the government’s own work on a 10-year National Housing and Homelessness PlanThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh., and crossbench concern that the planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. should be embedded in law with clearer accountability.
Key criticism
The supplied local record does not show substantive criticism or opposition to the bill. It contains the sponsor’s explanatory memorandum, supportive second readingThe parliamentary stage where senators or members debate a bill’s main purpose and principles. speeches from David Pocock, Kylea Tink and Helen Haines, a committee referral note, no proposed amendments, no recorded amendment outcomes and no counted divisions.
Who supported it?
Senator David Pocock, with a matching House bill moved by Kylea Tink introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from some crossbench members.
Introduced in Senate 25 June 2024
Before Senate 23 July 2025
Not yet reached House —
Not yet law —
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
715 days
Updated 10 June 2026.
Meaning
What does this bill do?
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The bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare and publish a National Housing and Homelessness PlanThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. within one year after commencement, then refresh the planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. every 10 years.
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The National Housing and Homelessness PlanThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. would set long-term goals, not detailed programs. Its goals include adequate housing, ending homelessness, better social housing, more choice, better quality, affordability, supply, disability inclusion, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander involvement in housing programs affecting them.
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When preparing the planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh., the minister would have to work with civil society organisations, people facing housing disadvantage, people with lived experience of housing need and people with lived experience of homelessness.
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Housing AustraliaThe national housing agency the bill would make responsible for helping the minister prepare, implement and review the plan. would be the lead agency helping the minister prepare, implement and review the National Housing and Homelessness PlanThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh..
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The bill would create a National Housing Consumer CouncilThe consumer advisory body the bill would create so renters, home buyers and people with lived experience of housing need or homelessness can advise the minister. with a chair and 9 to 15 other members to advise the minister from the perspective of renters, home buyers, people with lived experience of housing need or homelessness, Indigenous people, people with disability, young people and other disadvantaged groups.
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The bill would create an independent National Housing and Homelessness AdvocateThe independent officer the bill would create to monitor the plan, review systemic housing issues and report to the minister. to monitor the planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh., receive submissions, review systemic housing issues, report annually on progress, and raise awareness of common and critical housing issues.
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The AdvocateThe independent officer the bill would create to monitor the plan, review systemic housing issues and report to the minister. could review systemic housing issues on their own initiative or because of a public submission, but could not investigate or resolve an issue that only concerns the person who made the submission.
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The planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. would be checked through public reporting: the minister would table effectiveness reports after three, six and nine years, Housing AustraliaThe national housing agency the bill would make responsible for helping the minister prepare, implement and review the plan. would complete a final review by the end of the ninth year, and the government would have six months to respond to AdvocateThe independent officer the bill would create to monitor the plan, review systemic housing issues and report to the minister. reports that recommend Commonwealth action.
Show source excerpts
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The Minister must prepare, and publish on Housing Australia’s website, a National Housing and Homelessness Plan ... for the first Plan—no later than 1 year after the commencement of this Act; for later Plans—no later than 10 years after the day on which the Minister published the previous Plan.
National Housing and Homelessness Plan introduced bill text -
The Bill would require that the government of the day has a National Housing and Homelessness Plan ... It sets out goals that the Plan must work towards, but it does not prescribe specific policies and programs.
National Housing and Homelessness Plan explanatory memorandum -
The Minister must prepare the National Housing and Homelessness Plan in collaboration with: civil society organisations; ... members of groups who face special disadvantage in the housing system; ... people with lived experience of housing need; and ... people with lived experience of homelessness.
National Housing and Homelessness Plan introduced bill text -
It is a function of Housing Australia to assist the Minister in the preparation, implementation and review of the National Housing and Homelessness Plan.
National Housing and Homelessness Plan introduced bill text -
The Consumer Council consists of the Chair and up to 15 other members. ... to advise the Minister ... from the perspective of consumers, including ... home buyers ... private and social housing tenants ... persons with lived experience of housing need ... persons with lived experience of homelessness ... Indigenous persons ... people with a disability ... youth.
National Housing and Homelessness Plan introduced bill text -
The Advocate’s functions include: monitoring the implementation of the National Housing and Homelessness Plan; and conducting reviews of systemic housing issues; and providing advice to the Minister; and raising awareness of housing issues.
National Housing and Homelessness Plan introduced bill text -
The Advocate may conduct a review of a systemic housing issue ... on the Advocate’s own initiative. ... the Advocate may not investigate, or resolve complaints concerning, housing issues raised in a submission received by the Advocate that relate only to the person that made the submission.
National Housing and Homelessness Plan introduced bill text -
Reports under subsection (1) must be prepared by the end of the period of: 3 years after the Plan is published; and 6 years after the Plan is published; and 9 years after the Plan is published. ... The review must be completed by the end of the period of 9 years after the Plan is published. ... within 6 months after receiving the report.
National Housing and Homelessness Plan introduced bill text
Context
Broader context for this bill
The bill sits in a debate about whether Australia’s national housing response should be a legislated, long-term framework rather than a set of funding agreements and programs. The local sources show three main drivers: worsening affordability and homelessness pressures, the government’s own work on a 10-year National Housing and Homelessness PlanThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh., and crossbench concern that the planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. should be embedded in law with clearer accountability.
- 2008
Australia has a homelessness planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh., not a broad housing planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh.
The explanatory memorandum says the 2008 white paper The Road Home was a national approach to reducing homelessness, but that Australia had never had an Australia-wide housing planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. or strategy more broadly.
Explanatory memorandum ↗ - 2019
Canada legislates a national housing strategy
The explanatory memorandum says the bill is modelled on Canada’s National Housing Strategy Act 2019, especially because Canada is also a federal system facing similar housing and homelessness policy challenges.
Explanatory memorandum ↗ - 28 Aug 2023 to 30 Nov 2023
Government consults on its housing planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh.
Treasury’s local source says consultations for the government’s National Housing and Homelessness PlanThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. ran from 28 August 2023 to 30 November 2023.
Treasury ↗ - 23 Jan 2024
Consultation report is released
The government released a consultation summary report for its 10-year National Housing and Homelessness PlanThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh., describing the planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. as a shared vision for future housing and homelessness policy.
Treasury ↗ - 10 May 2024
New social housing agreement is announced
The AFR reported that national cabinet announced a $9.3 billion, five-year National Agreement on Social Housing and HomelessnessA Commonwealth-state funding agreement for social housing and homelessness services. The explanatory memorandum distinguishes this kind of agreement from a broader national housing plan. as part of broader budget housing measures.
Australian Financial Review ↗ - 24 June 2024
Pocock and Tink seek to legislate the planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh.
The AFR reported that Senator David Pocock and Kylea Tink would introduce bills to pressure the government to enshrine a 10-year National Housing and Homelessness PlanThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. in law and treat adequate housing as a human right.
Australian Financial Review ↗ - 25 June 2024
Senate bill begins
Senator Pocock introduced the Senate bill and moved the second readingThe parliamentary stage where senators or members debate a bill’s main purpose and principles., arguing that a coordinated national planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. embedded in law was needed for Australia’s housing system.
Parliament of Australia ↗ - 04 July 2024
Senate committee receives the bill
The APH note says the bill was referred to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee, with a committee report recorded for 15 November 2024.
APH bill page notes ↗
Legislative route
How did it move through Parliament?
House Senate
Introduced in the Senate 25 June 2024
Senator David Pocock introduced the bill and it was read a first time.
Introduced and read a first time
Second readingThe parliamentary stage where senators or members debate a bill’s main purpose and principles. moved 25 June 2024
Senator Pocock moved the second readingThe parliamentary stage where senators or members debate a bill’s main purpose and principles., opening debate on the bill’s purpose and principles.
Economics review 04 July 2024
The Senate referred the bill to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee on 4 July 2024, with a committee report recorded for 15 November 2024. The local source bundle contains the referral note, but not the report findings.
Referred to committee
APH bill page notesLapsed at end of Parliament 21 July 2025
The APH bill page records the bill as having lapsed at the end of Parliament.
Restored to the Notice Paper 23 July 2025
The APH bill page records the bill as restored to the Senate Notice Paper two days after the lapse entry.
Restored to Notice Paper
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
The supplied local record does not show substantive criticism or opposition to the bill. It contains the sponsor’s explanatory memorandum, supportive second readingThe parliamentary stage where senators or members debate a bill’s main purpose and principles. speeches from David Pocock, Kylea Tink and Helen Haines, a committee referral note, no proposed amendments, no recorded amendment outcomes and no counted divisions.
The source bundle does show two limits in the public record: the government had been developing its own planThe 10-year national housing plan the bill would require the federal housing minister to prepare, publish and refresh. but had not embedded it in law, and the local committee material records a referral but not the report’s findings. Those are context and source limitations, not collected criticism of the bill itself.
Further sources
Votes
Recorded votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Who spoke, and what they said
Start here — lead voices
Lead non-major voice Supports
Kylea Tink
Kylea Tink supported the House version of the bill and framed it as a way to give national housing policy a long-term, human-rights-based framework.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Supports
Helen Haines
Helen Haines supported the bill, arguing that housing should be recognised as a human right and that the Commonwealth should lead a 10-year roadmap across levels of government.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Minor parties and independents
3 speakers · 3 support
Minor parties and independents
3 speakers · 3 support
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David Pocock ★ David Pocock supported the bill as its sponsor.
“Only a coordinated national plan, embedded in law, can address the complex and multifaceted nature of this crisis.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Kylea Tink ★ Kylea Tink supported the House version of the bill and framed it as a way to give national housing policy a long-term, human-rights-based framework.
“This bill sets out processes to develop, implement and maintain a national housing and homelessness plan aimed at facilitating a human rights based approach to housing.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Helen Haines ★ Helen Haines supported the bill, arguing that housing should be recognised as a human right and that the Commonwealth should lead a 10-year roadmap across levels of government.
“This government must do everything it can and use every tool at its disposal to address this crisis, and it’s why I am proud to support this bill.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Full record
- Status
- Before Senate -- Collected from the APH bill page.
- Originating house
- Senate
- Sponsor
- Senator David Pocock
- Committee referral
- Senate Economics Legislation Committee -- The APH note records referral on 4 July 2024 and a committee report dated 15 November 2024.
- Amendments collected
- None
- 25 June 2024
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced in the Senate
Senator David Pocock introduced the bill and it was read a first time.
- 25 June 2024
Senate · Second reading moved
Second readingThe parliamentary stage where senators or members debate a bill’s main purpose and principles. moved
Senator Pocock moved the second readingThe parliamentary stage where senators or members debate a bill’s main purpose and principles., opening debate on the bill’s purpose and principles.
- 21 July 2025
Senate · Lapsed at end of Parliament
Lapsed at end of Parliament
The APH bill page records the bill as having lapsed at the end of Parliament.
- 23 July 2025
Senate · Restored to Notice Paper
Restored to the Notice Paper
The APH bill page records the bill as restored to the Senate Notice Paper two days after the lapse entry.
Senate Economics Legislation Committee
Referred to committee
The Senate referred the bill to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee on 4 July 2024, with a committee report recorded for 15 November 2024. The local source bundle contains the referral note, but not the report findings.
Referred to Committee (4 July 2024): Senate Economics Legislation Committee; Committee report (15 Nov 2024)
APH bill page notes