Housing Legislation Amendment (National Definition of Affordable Housing) Bill 2026

Stage by Stage

Summaries in reported speech - not a transcript. In date order, both chambers.

1. Monday 14 September 2026 · House of Representatives

   Second Reading

   The debate concerned a private member's bill aimed at establishing a consistent national definition for affordable housing. The mover argued that current definitions are inconsistent and often unaffordable for key workers, proposing a cap on rent at 30 per cent of income for households in the bottom 40 per cent of the income distribution. The second speaker supported the bill, citing examples of high rents labelled as affordable in their electorate and criticising the government for inaction. Both members urged the government to adopt the bill's principles to address housing stress and ensure housing is accessible to essential workers.

   Outcome: The bill was debated but no final vote result was recorded in the provided transcript.

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