WILL residents in the multitude of new housing developments be aware of the limited essential services available in Mansfield?

Existing infrastructure including internet service is already inadequate for current residents.

What is planned for the future generations looking for a great new life in Mansfield?

Mary Parker, Mansfield

MP fights for fair share of housing funding

I HAVE written to the federal treasurer and federal housing minister to push for regional, rural and remote communities to receive an equitable share of housing funding to

build social and affordable homes.

In a submission to the government’s Investment Mandate - the ministerial directive on how housing funding will be invested - I was critical of the lack of dedicated funding to build homes in regional Australia.

After I had successfully negotiated two amendments to the government’s housing bills earlier this year, further amendments to ensure regional communities get their fair share of housing funding were not agreed to by the government.

I was assured by the housing minister those proposed amendments would be included in the Housing Australia Investment Mandate, but unfortunately, they have not, which is deeply disappointing.

I will hold the minister to her word to ensure regional, rural and remote Australia is not left behind in the effort to build more social and affordable housing.

Regional communities will continue to be overlooked unless funding tools, like the Investment Mandate, recognise our specific needs, and agencies are required to be transparent about how money is spent to meet those needs.

Right now, there is no guarantee that any housing funding will flow to regional Australia, and the communities where it is needed most.

Last month I introduced a Private Member’s Bill in parliament directly addressing the housing crisis in regional, rural and remote Australia.

The Unlocking Regional Housing Bill would make funding easier to access for social and affordable housing projects in regional Australia and would direct

the minister to take action so that at least 30 per cent of funding is spent in regional, rural and remote Australia.

Helen Haines, Independent federal MP for Indi