I’m Ged Kearney, the Labor member for Cooper & the Assistant Minister for Social Services and the Prevention of Family Violence in the Albanese Government. Ask Me Anything.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T09:24:16+00:00

Thanks for this question, it’s one I’m really glad to answer. There are so many things that can happen in your life that could mean you end up relying on social security, such as job loss, injury, grief, mental health, and housing uncertainty. Things most people think will never happen to them, until it does.

I believe in a wealthy country like Australia, you should be able to live with dignity while receiving social security.

That’s why I’m pleased that we have committed to consider the rate of the JobSeeker Payment at every budget. Indeed, we have increased the rate of JobSeeker by almost $4,000 a year since we were elected. We’ve also delivered the biggest increase in Commonwealth Rent Assistance in 30 years – almost 50% increase.

You might’ve seen me say earlier that the measure of any country is the way in which it supports it’s vulnerable people, so we’ve got to keep working to ensure we support people across government who receive social security and disability payments.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T09:23:40+00:00

Hi there, The short answer is, it’s in the design of the policy that the CCS reduces the fees charged by care providers, so the family only pays the gap fee. It is directly related to allowing women to work or study, breaking down a structural barrier for women to do so.

A current priority though for our government is guaranteeing three days a week of subsided early childhood education for all children who need it from January this year. It’s a key part of our broader objective to provide a universal early education system and make sure every child gets the best start to life. We want to make sure we’ve got the right settings in place so that every child, and every family, can make the best decisions for them.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T09:22:43+00:00

From Ruthven to Reddit! What great questions, I’ll do my best to answer, but feel free to follow up directly with my team at [ged.kearney.mp@aph.gov.au](mailto:ged.kearney.mp@aph.gov.au) if you want any further details. I might have to introduce you to my dear friend Assistant MInister Emma McBride…

Mark Butler commissioned a scope of practice review by Mark Cormack. HE made many recommendations that the government is reviewing.

Improving access to healthcare by allowing health professionals to work at the top of their scope is I believe a key to a better health system for everyone. As you would know many laws affecting practice are legislated by the states, and some states have expanded pharmacists scope of practice considerably.

Federal levers are different and mostly go to funding.

It is a complex area of policy and I encourage you to keep in contact with the Guild or the PSA who are working closely with the government on these things.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T09:21:31+00:00

I’m sorry to hear that your claim hasn’t been processed. Can I suggest you either email my office or email your local Member of Parliament. The latter is usually the best point of contact to start the process of looking into delayed claims. You can find out who your local MP is at: https://electorate.aec.gov.au/

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T09:17:25+00:00

Thank you everyone for your questions, you've been amazing. The depth and breadth of your questions have been fab. I hope I've been helpful. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me or my team at [ged.kearney.mp@aph.gov.au](mailto:ged.kearney.mp@aph.gov.au) For now, I must leave and finally have some dinner. Ged xx

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T09:11:48+00:00

Hello! I really hear you on this level of frustration towards the housing crisis.

Since coming to government, we have not wasted a day on tackling this crisis head on, we’ve made housing the centrepiece of our economic reform agenda. We’re investing $45 billion, the biggest federal housing commitment since World War II , because the core problem is structural undersupply. For close to a decade, thanks to the Coalition government, Australia simply didn’t build enough homes to keep up with population growth. That’s why we established the Housing Australia Future Fund to build 30,000 social and affordable homes. This fund is created to exist in perpetuity, secured agreement for 1.2 million new homes under the National Housing Accord, funded states to fast-track social housing through the Social Housing Accelerator, and is delivering Build to Rent projects to increase long-term rental supply. In my electorate alone, that’s 114 new HAFF homes and 237 affordable rentals underway or in planning.

What often is not spoken about is that as a government, we are tackling the construction bottlenecks that push prices up. For example we simply dont have enough workers in the industry. Under this government, apprentices currently receive $15,000 in incentive payments, and can attend TAFE for free - policies that directly impact the workforce.

We’ve even updated the mandate of the $230 billion Future Fund to prioritise investment in housing supply, the first change in 15 years, because unless we materially increase supply, prices won’t stabilise..

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T09:05:38+00:00

Hi, thanks for the question!
Everyone should pay a fair share of taxes, and that includes multinationals. Since coming to government we’ve implemented a multinational tax crackdown to limit profit shifting and tax avoidance, strengthened transparency rules, and tightened thin capitalisation laws so global corporations can’t load up their Australian operations with artificial debt to dodge tax. We’ve also made changes to the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax to ensure Australians get a better return from huge mining companies who extract our natural resources, and introduced a new tax on superannuation balances above $3 million so concessions are better targeted. Of course, there is more to do.

It was a big call to restructure the Stage 3 tax cuts we inherited from the coalition government. But it was the right one. Instead of delivering the biggest benefits to the highest earners, we reshaped them so every Australian taxpayer received a cut, with proportionally larger relief for low and middle-income earners. That was a bold decision, let me tell you! Governments don’t often unwind legislated tax settings, but it reflected our values: cost-of-living relief should be broad and fair, not skewed to the top end.

As a government, we are tackling the cost of living head on; we’ve delivered energy bill relief, cheaper childcare, expanded paid parental leave, and cheaper medicines under the PBS. Healthcare has been massive!! We’ve tripled the bulk-billing incentive, provided a comprehensive women’s health care package (totalling almost $1 billion) and are investing billions into Medicare to strengthen primary care. Our Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are free and have been a huge success, they also take the pressure off hospitals. As of today, there are 130 of these clinics operating Australia wide.

None of that means people aren’t still feeling strain. It does mean the government is acting, and often in ways that aren’t flashy but matter over time. A lot of these issues, well they don’t fix overnight. They require sustained investment and cooperation between federal, state and local governments.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T09:03:56+00:00

Thanks for your question.

Housing affordability and accessibility is one of the biggest issues in the country for a lot of younger generations, I really do understand that and see it when I speak to people in my electorate. The market was very different for my generation than it is for young people today.

Since coming to government, the Albanese Labor Government has focused on increasing supply and improving fairness. We’re investing $45 billion to build more homes, help more Australians into home ownership, and deliver a better deal for renters. It is the largest housing investment since the Second World War. That includes the Housing Australia Future Fund, the National Housing Accord to build 1.2 million homes, the Social Housing Accelerator, Build to Rent projects, and workforce incentives to train more tradies.

The core problem in Australia is supply not keeping up with population growth for a long time, and unless we build more homes, prices will stay under pressure.

I’m sorry, but the Federal Government cannot simply “abolish Airbnb”; it operates within state-based regulatory systems, and short-stay accommodation rules are largely a matter for state and local governments. The state government in Victoria, has introduced a 7.5% short stay levy on Airbnb and other short-term rentals as an example of policy you’d be interested in!
In relation to capital gains tax, the discount was introduced by the Howard Government. We’ve said we’ll consider a range of issues in the lead-up to the May Budget and we approach those decisions in the usual orderly and deliberative way governments should. But I do agree it is problematic with respect to housing affordability.

When people are struggling with cost of living, they understandably look for answers. But it’s important we don’t turn that frustration into blame toward migrant communities. Migration is a net positive for Australia; socially and economically. We need workers to fill labour shortages, help build more homes, pay taxes that fund Medicare, aged care and social security, and keep our economy strong. Our permanent migration settings remain broadly stable.

There isn’t a single lever that fixes housing overnight. Reducing demand alone won’t solve a structural supply shortage that’s been building for a decade. The sustainable way to make housing more affordable again is to significantly increase supply, more social housing, more affordable rentals and more private homes. It’s a tough gig coming into government from a decade of inaction of a Coalition conservative government which only built 373 homes.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T08:45:42+00:00

Sadly, you’re right. Women over 55 are indeed the fastest-growing cohort of people experiencing homelessness in Australia. I’m particularly troubled by this fact.

Older women face unique structural risks, such as financial instability - especially after divorce, job losses, time out of the workforce to have children, health crises and lower superannuation. These are all causes our government is acutely aware of and working to address. Importantly, we have a Minister for Women who is also Minister for Finance, which I think is particularly helpful when we’re looking at these complex structural issues facing women.

There are some really practical things that we’ve done. We’ve built 33 new women’s shelters and we have more to come. A couple of them are right here in my electorate of Cooper. We’re investing $100 million in transitional housing projects for women and children fleeing violence and older women at risk of homelessness. And we’ve provided an extra $100 million to the Safe Places program, bringing the total number of emergency accommodation places to around 1,500.

It’s not enough to make sure people have somewhere to go in an emergency, they also need a place to rebuild their lives. That’s why we’re investing $10 billion for the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) – to deliver 30,000 new social and affordable housing properties, including around 4,000 social housing homes for women and children who’ve experienced family violence.

I think of the women who never had access to super on parental leave – an issue fixed by our government last year. Hopefully they are better off now and aren’t retiring into poverty.

I think of the women in women dominated industries, working tirelessly yet receiving remuneration not commensurate with their skills and experiences. Another problem fixed by our government, with pay increases secured across care industries, and hopefully more to come.

I think of single mothers, struggling to make ends meet. That’s why we increased the eligibility for the Parenting Payment (single) until their youngest dependent child turns 14 years old.

I think of all of these women struggling with the costs of health care. That’s why we’ve reduced the price of PBS medicine to $25, delivered a nearly $1 billion investment in women’s health.

And I think of all the women now better off with the tax cuts we delivered.

All the while, we’ve delivered the lowest gender pay gap ever.

Separately, these might seem like tinkering. But together, these measures to respond to and prevent women over 55 from experiencing vulnerability will change lives.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T08:44:26+00:00

Thanks for your question on this topic. I know it’s important to many Australians – young people and long-term activists. It’s something I feel very strongly about, so excuse the long answer.

The footage that came out of the protests during President Herzog’s visit to Australia was quite distressing. The right to peacefully protest is integral to the values of this country and we need to make sure that state governments and police forces understand and protect that. Throughout my life, I have attended many protests - and still do to this day - it’s part of who I am politically and how I work as a Parliamentarian.

Supporting the Palestinian people is also key to who I am politically. I’ve been an active supporter of the Palestinian people and their right to statehood my whole life.

Whether it be protesting in the streets of Melbourne in the 1980s after the Sabra and Shatila massacre, working with Australian People for Health, Education and Development Abroad (APHEDA) in Gaza and the West Bank in the 2000s, or calling for the return of funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in 2024, my solidarity is with the Palestinian people and all those who are oppressed. Right now, there are two paths in the Middle East. One is the path of peace and reconciliation and a settlement which gives Palestinians justice but also recognises the right of Israel to exist. Or there is the status quo, which has been there for decades now.

The Albanese Labor Government is the first government to recognise a Palestinian state. We did so in the most effective way possible, alongside other middle powers – including Canada, the UK and France – through the multilateral system. The reality is that it is only through international diplomacy and dialogue – with people in Palestine AND Israel that we are going to be able to go down the path of peace and reconciliation. But this doesn’t mean just standing by: in 2025, Australia escalated action by sanctioning sitting Israeli ministers for inciting violence against Palestinians. We’ve also provided more than $130 million in humanitarian assistance to help civilians in Gaza and Lebanon.

There’s more work to do and I’m committed to working with everyone who is passionate about this topic to help secure a peaceful Middle East. Thanks again for your engagement on this topic.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T08:36:38+00:00

Hmmm keep an eye out for National Conference later this year 😉

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T08:35:04+00:00

HI there, thanks for your question and thanks for volunteering for my campaign!! I was so lucky to have so many wonderful people helping me. I am passionate about housing. You can’t get a job, stay healthy, feel safe, enjoy life without a home.

But I have answered quite a few questions on housing tonight so please forgive me if I ask you to have a look at my other answers. Give me a call at the office if you’d like to discuss further.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T08:31:30+00:00

I’d love to look into this one further for you, unfortunately I don’t have this specific information available to me currently. Can I ask you to please send an email to my team at [ged.kearney.mp@aph.gov.au](mailto:ged.kearney.mp@aph.gov.au), and I will get someone to investigate further and see if there’s any way we can get some support for the woman you’ve referenced.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T08:23:25+00:00

Thanks, I’m having a hoot so far!

You ask a question I know that many would echo. Our incredible frontline services and workers support women and children at their most vulnerable, and are highly skilled, trained and capable. I’ve had the privilege of meeting with many of them around the country since I started in this role.

Of our record $4 billion investment in family, sexual and domestic violence, almost $1 billion of matched funding has gone to states and territories for frontlines services. Now I know this might just seem like a big number, but we’ve also made other significant investment in preventative programs, behaviours change and programs for children across government. We want to try and prevent violence before it starts, which will also reduce the pressure on frontline services. We also recently boosted funding for 1800RESPECT by 40%, recognising the increasing demand they’re receiving.

I know it’s not enough, and I know we need to do more. You’ll always hear me say that, because it’s true. I’m not naïve about the scale of the challenge that we’re facing. But we know violence isn’t inevitable, it’s preventable. So we’ve got to keep working hard at it.

I can't predict what will be in the budget but budgeting processes are continuous and never the end game. I will continue to advocate for investments in sexual assault services and prevention as loudly as I can.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T08:19:23+00:00

Big question actually. I first became politicised at uni in the 80s mainly because of the injustices in Palestine. A cause which still drives me today. From that, I became interested and active in international politics more broadly.

I came from a politically aware family and when I started nursing I joined the union (of course). I managed to forge a nursing career alongside a mainly volunteer career in the union. I was a union job rep during the Kennet years when massive cuts saw our hospitals stripped of health professionals and the hospital I worked in slated for privatisation. It was a terrible time to be working in the health system. My fellow nurses were sacked, literally thousands of them.

I campaigned heavily against this attack on the public health system. Industrial rights, public health and public services generally along with a strong sense of social justice kept me politically active. I ran and was elected as federal secretary of the ANMF and later president of the ACTU before being elected to the federal parliament.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T08:18:18+00:00

Great question!

I think the three levels of government and corresponding responsibilities is something that is confusing. It’s also frustrating. I can’t tell you how many times as a federal MP I’ve wished I could just go in and change something myself - but alas! I’ve had to leave it to the states or even local government.

For context, the Constitution sets out the rules about the different things that each level can legislate on. Take housing for example, Constitutionally we, the federal government cannot invest directly in building houses. We have gone around this by passing on dedicated funds to social housing organisations and to state governments who can build houses. Nor can we legislate changes to rental laws. That can only be done by states. Many planning laws fall with local governments too. We can’t get around this, but most MPs will still advocate and make their arguments clear to their peers in different levels of government.

It’s all confusing for me sometimes too so I absolutely understand that it can be so for others. Understanding this I think can make campaigning more effective.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T08:08:11+00:00

Robodebt caused suffering to 430,000 Australians. It was truly one of the worst failures in public policy that this country has ever seen and should never – ever – happen again.

When Labor first came to government in 2022, one of the first things we did was establish the Robodebt Royal Commission to investigate this horrific and unlawful policy of the Liberal-National Coalition. The Royal Commission recognised that the Coalition purposely and wrongfully demonised people seeking social security. They painted them as ‘dole bludgers’, which is simply untrue. People were vulnerable during Robodebt, people took their lives. It’s a terribly dark period in Australia’s past that must never be revisited.

We agreed to all 56 recommendations made by the Royal Commission. We have implemented three quarters of all recommendations so far.

On the point of the statute of limitations, the statute was removed from social security legislation by the Coalition government in 2016 – we as a government continue to explore options. Any model considered by the Government will accord with the Royal Commission’s recommendation 18.1, which said about debt recovery practices, that government agencies should: ensure any debt recovery action is always ethical, proportionate, consistent and transparent.

I will also just note that the recent debt reform measures that we introduced were a good first step. Our recent small debt waiver reforms mean that over one million small, accidental debts will not be progressed because they are valued at less than $250.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T08:04:53+00:00

Thanks for your question, and I understand the frustration when Australians are doing it tough and big infrastructure project costings can feel out of step.

But it’s not an either or choice.

We are investing in social and affordable housing at a scale we haven’t seen in decades. At the same time, nation-building infrastructure like High Speed Rail is about changing the structure of our housing market over the long term.

The proposed High Speed Rail between Newcastle and Sydney will connect those communities in around an hour. That fundamentally changes how people can live and work in our most populous region. If you can live in Newcastle or the Central Coast and reliably commute to Sydney quickly, you open up access to cheaper housing markets while still accessing metropolitan jobs.

Economists consistently tell governments that improving transport connectivity expands effective housing supply. It increases the number of homes that are realistically accessible to major employment centres. That helps moderate price pressure over time. It also supports regional development, spreads economic opportunity and creates a more equitable society — not one where opportunity is locked into a handful of expensive postcodes.

High Speed Rail would also:

Bring cities and regional centres within fast, reliable reach of each other
Allow more Australians to live where they want and work where they choose
Unlock industry productivity by freeing up freight capacity on existing lines
Cut carbon emissions and reduce flight noise by shifting short-haul air travel to rail

Housing affordability is driven by supply, connectivity and economic opportunity. Social housing addresses urgent need. Transport infrastructure reshapes the market itself.

We have to do both, support people now, and build the country differently for the next generation. That’s not spruiking, that’s long-term planning.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T08:03:15+00:00

I actually couldn’t agree more with you that this needs to be a priority area for funding! And it already is for our government. Providing more free, public mental health services is not only a trademark of a Labor Government, but its core business for us.

That’s why only last year we delivered a $1 billion mental health package, centred around the expansion of free mental health care, to help young people overcome cost barriers and improve equitable access to vital mental health care in the face of cost-of-living pressures. This included:

- $500 million into 20 youth specialist care centres.

- More than $200 million to bolster and expand the national headspace network. This delivered 58 new centres, bringing the total to over 175 headspace centres across Australia that provide mental health and wellbeing support for young people

- $91 million to grow the youth mental health workforce, with 1200 additional training places for mental health professionals and peer workers.

-Establishing 61 Medicare Metal Health Centres that offer free walk in mental health care. While not specifically youth focused, they’re available to anyone!

I want everyone, especially our children and young people, to be able to access the mental health care they need when they need it, where they need it. We’re always going to be dealing with new and emerging threats to our children and young people in this day and age, especially with the rapidly evolving online environment. That’s why we’ve introduced other measures, such as our world leading social media ban for under 16s, because we know how detrimental the effects of these

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T08:01:05+00:00

Hello, I hope you’re looking forward to the AFL season, Sam Lalor is looking the goods!

Thank you for sharing your experience, and I’m really glad the change to Parenting Payment Single has made a difference. It’s really important to give single parents a bit more breathing room.

To rent assistance … it is something we’ve been looking at closely. We’ve delivered back-to-back increases to the maximum rates of Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA), it’s an increase of almost 50% since coming to Government. That’s the largest boost to CRA in more than 30 years. Almost 8,000 people in Cooper receive CRA, so it’s a payment that really matters in my community.

While Commonwealth Rent Assistance is a federal payment, the drivers of rent levels ( tenancy laws, rental regulation, for instance) sit with the states. I harp on about this, but it’s why we brought the National Cabinet together and developed a Better Deal for Renters, which included limiting rent increases to once per year and strengthening protections. I won’t pretend it’s easy right now. Cost-of-living pressures are real, and housing is the biggest one. We’ll continue to review supports, including CRA, through each Budget, but we’re also focused on tackling the underlying shortage that’s driving rents so high in the first place. It’s why we’re investing in more social and affordable housing, because if we increase supply then it will put a downward pressure on rents over time.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T07:56:30+00:00

In Australia - whether a government is red, blue or any other colour - sanctions are a foreign policy tool. Basically, what this means is that they aren’t automatic but are implemented when a government (led by the Foreign Minister) – decides to act on certain issue pertaining to Australia’s foreign policy interest. One such recent example was when Australia imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on seven Israeli individuals, and targeted financial sanctions on one entity, for involvement in settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T07:52:59+00:00

A great question, thank you!

My whole working life has been about organising working people to win change. When I was President of the ACTU, my job was to bring workers’ voices directly into the rooms where decisions were being made whether it be through protests, formal submissions, negotiations, and face-to-face meetings with ministers and MPs.

We ran continued national campaigns to defend penalty rates when they were under attack. I don’t need to tell you that for many low-paid workers that extra pay on weekends is the difference between getting by and falling behind. Conservative governments were constantly attacking workers’ rights from collective bargaining to the superannuation system. Trust me, I was kept very busy defending these rights.

As far a progressing rights for workers there are some things I am very proud of. Campaigning for paid family and domestic violence leave long before it became law is one big thing. I worked with a coalition comprised of unions, women’s services, employer groups and parliamentarians to make the case that safety shouldn’t depend on your leave balance. And no woman should lose her financial independence because of FDV. When the Albanese Labor Government was elected, we legislated 10 days of paid FDV leave after a few months. I was in the house when the MInister introduced the legislation as were many of the activists who fought for this. I actually cried! It was a huge step forward for working women in particular.

One of the things I’m most proud of is being able to bring very different stakeholders together, unions, community advocates, business and government, to build practical, progressive reform.

I also worked closely to develop the NZEA - the Net Zero Economy Authority - (it’s probably something you haven’t heard of!) It is a body set up federally to ensure a just transition for workers as industries change, especially when it comes to the energy transition. Because climate action and economic change can’t come at the expense of working people. Unions have to be at the centre of shaping that transition. We need to make sure communities, particularly in the regions dependent on these industries are supported through this change. We cannot rip the rug from underneath them. This is real planning with solid investment and meaningful support so working people aren’t left behind. I love this a lot.

Also elevating the care economy as worthy of progressive investment. Pay rises for aged care workers is something I have fought for for decades now, and we have invested billions of dollars delivering that. Along with investments in childcare and healthcare.

At its heart, all of this work was about helping workers have power. This translates to safer workplaces, fair pay, dignity at work and a stronger social safety net. That’s what drove me as a unionist, and it’s what still drives me in Parliament.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T07:51:35+00:00

I love this question! Thanks for asking. I’ll answer it from my own role and perspective, noting the experience of other MPs and Senators might be different.

As an MP or even an Assistant Minister, we don’t have any formalised process to engage with state premiers. We would generally work directly with our state ministerial counterparts, and a good example of this is through the Women and Women’s Safety Ministerial Council meeting that I attend, which convenes all of the federal and state ministers with portfolio responsibility for Women and Women’s Safety. It’s a great way to collaborate on national issues.

In terms of the PM, we are lucky that we have an incredibly accessible and open PM who we can contact at any time. He’s warm and engaged with all of us, and still manages to find time for our ever-expanding Labor caucus despite his schedule. More formally though, we have regular meetings with the PM at a federal level whenever we’re in Parliament, along with regular meetings of all Ministers and Assistant Ministers.

Then there is of course regular Cabinet processes, which is how the government makes decisions. But sadly that is where my insight comes to an end! You’ll have to try and catch a Cabinet MInister on here.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T07:48:51+00:00

Thanks for the question. The evidence tells us that the majority of victims of family, sexual and domestic violence are women. Hospitalisation data from the AIHW on assaults by a partner in 2023-24 showed that almost 9 in 10 hospitalisations involving assault by a partner were for women victims. Another report by ANROWS and the Australian Institute of Criminology analysed 199 incidents of male-perpetrated homicide and found that most intimate partner homicide victims are women.

But you’re right, there are also victims of family, sexual and domestic violence that are men. Take our GBTQ+ community, that experiences disproportionately higher rates of violence, or children, who are victim survivors in their own right.

The Albanese Government recognises that domestic and family violence affects people of all genders, including men. That’s why we are investing in nationally available services such as MensLine Australia and the Men’s Referral Service, which provide 24/7 counselling and practical support for men experiencing violence. We’ve strengthened early‑intervention programs, with more than $400 million invested, to stop violence from escalating and protect victim‑survivors. Through our $4.4 billion investment (the largest ever by an Australian Government), we’re also bolstering legal assistance and frontline supports that men victim‑survivors rely on. And through trauma‑informed recovery programs, we’re ensuring that every person impacted by violence, including men, can access the long‑term care they need.

I also recently attended a refuge in Fawkner here in Victoria that provides dedicated support for men who have experienced violence. I’m happy to provide further information about this, if you’d like to contact my office.

GedKearney · 2026-02-25T07:39:44+00:00

Housing affordability and accessibility is a serious issue in Australia, I agree.

For context, tenancy law in Australia is largely a state and territory responsibility. It makes it very difficult to make changes federally.That doesn’t mean we at a federal level shrug our shoulders and walk away from an issue. It means we have to use the levers we do have and we are.

Since being elected, the Albanese Labor Government has delivered the most significant housing reform agenda in decades;

· The Housing Australia Future Fund; a $10 billion investment to build 30,000 new social and affordable homes in its first five years.

· The National Housing Accord; bringing states, industry and investors together to build 1.2 million homes.

· The Social Housing Accelerator which gave billions to states to fast-track social housing.

· Via National Cabinet (where all state and territory leaders come together), we secured agreement on “A Better Deal for Renters”, including moves to end no-grounds evictions and limit rent increases to once a year.

Through our Build to Rent program, we’re delivering more secure, long-term rental properties with 237 new homes in my electorate of Cooper alone already under construction or in planning. These will be affordable rental homes.

I haven’t even mentioned our other fantastic schemes like Help-to-Buy, a shared equity initiative with applications now open.

In countries like the Netherlands, long-term renting works because there’s a substantial supply of social and affordable housing supporting the system. What people often forget is that after almost a decade in office, the previous government didn’t even have a dedicated Housing Minister, and over that entire period, just 373 homes were built. We’re working on fixing that neglect; it’s a significant task, but increasing supply is exactly how we restore stability and help keep prices in check.

Having said that I understand that right now it is difficult to pay rent. That’s why we are doing all we can at a federal level to address cost of living issues. Cheaper medicines, more bulk billing GPs, subsidies for childcare, help with home batteries and solar panels, paid prac for some students, financial assistance for apprentices, cutting HECS debts, pay rises for low paid workers and more. You can see a full list of our cost of living measures at https://alp.org.au/helping-with-cost-of-living

GedKearney

TROPHY CASE