Defence Housing Australia Amendment Bill 2025

Senator McALLISTER (New South Wales—Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) (12:48): Thanks, Senator Lambie. I will provide the information that I have for you, Senator, but I think one of the things to draw the Senate's attention to is that this bill doesn't ask the Senate to make a decision about provisioning for Australian personnel or for philanthropic organisations, nor does it make a decision about provisioning for foreign service personnel.

It simply creates a legislative capacity for DHA to do work of this kind. There are subsequent decisions that will need to be taken about the volume of housing that might be necessary in different places and at different times under the provisions of this bill, if it's passed, but that's not the decision that's in front of the Senate right now. The only decision before us is the decision contained in the legislation, which is, really, whether, as a position of principle, it is okay for DHA to do work of this kind.

Obviously, the government is bringing forward this bill because we believe that it is appropriate and, indeed, that it is important. I can tell you, though—and I will do my best, where I can, Senator, to get the information you're asking for—that we anticipate an expansion in the order of 30,000 homes by 2040. That's the advice I have before me, Senator.