National Coalition Calls for Housing Ministry to be Retained at Cabinet Level

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The National Affordable Housing Summit group has urged the Prime Minister to retain the recently-created Cabinet position for a Minister who has responsibility across all areas of housing policy.

The call comes as Prime Minister Julia Gillard is expected to announce a cabinet reshuffle after her leadership victory against Kevin Rudd on Monday.

The Summit is a coalition comprising the Housing Industry Association, Australian Council of Social Service, Australian Council of Trade Unions, National Shelter, Residential Development Council, Homelessness Australia and Community Housing Federation of Australia.

The independent chair of the Summit, Professor Julian Disney, said: "The lack of affordable housing is a major national issue, affecting a very large number of people as well as the general economy." 

"Housing policy has suffered very badly from the lack of an integrated, specialist and high-level Housing Ministry at the Commonwealth level during the last fifteen years or so.

"The establishment late last year of a Housing Ministry at Cabinet level was a major improvement and it is essential that the position be maintained."