Defence Housing Australia Amendment Bill 2025

Senator McALLISTER (New South Wales—Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) (12:51): As I've indicated, I'm trying to be careful about the information that I provide the committee, because it is important that it be accurate. The bill expands, in general, the capacity of Defence Housing Australia to provide housing for a range of personnel, including foreign personnel.

I do have information about the housing demand for the estimated number of US and UK personnel coming to WA for SRF-West, if that would be of assistance. Of the 1,100 expected US and UK personnel, it is estimated that approximately half will be accompanied by their families and approximately half will arrive unaccompanied or are single. That translates into a housing demand of approximately 550 family residences and a combination of 550 one-bedroom apartments and/or on-base single living-in accommodation.

ASA and Defence will work closely together to respond to that. It will of course seek to do so in a manner that is cognisant of any impacts on local communities. That's partly why we're looking to make the changes to the legislation today.

Defence Housing Australia have a well-developed business model that sees them work with private providers in the market to bring on new projects. In part, that is the model anticipated to be used to meet some of this demand. It has flow-on benefits for communities.

We have quite a number of examples where arrangements of that kind also enable bringing forward housing development that is then, through the same projects, offered into the private market.