Mission Australia’s response to Federal Budget 2025-2026

National community housing and community services provider, Mission Australia says the Federal Budget was another missed opportunity to provide sustained relief to people across the country who are facing immense financial pressures due to the ongoing housing emergency and cost of living crisis.

Mission Australia CEO Sharon Callister said, “As we head into a Federal Election, we cannot waste another opportunity to act. If the Budget is the measure of what we value as a nation, then this one falls short in matching the ideal of the fair go for the many people across the country who feel left behind.

“Mission Australia is calling on all parties and candidates to commit to significant investment in social and affordable housing, homes for young people, homelessness prevention, and poverty alleviation measures including an increase to income support payments and Commonwealth Rent Assistance.

“We acknowledge that the Housing Australia Future Fund and shared-equity scheme have been positive policies that offer some hope on the housing front, and we also welcome the Government’s funding boost for the homelessness and housing peaks, supporting these organisations to continue their vital work to end homelessness in Australia.

“However, the measures to-date are not enough. This Budget missed the chance to increase the capacity of the Housing Australia Future Fund so it could more meaningfully start to meet the enormous and growing need for secure and affordable housing. Much greater ambition is required if we want to make housing truly affordable and end homelessness.

“As one of Australia’s largest community housing and service providers, we know that people are struggling to keep their heads above water due to the unaffordability of housing and the high cost of essentials. Many people are a rent increase, missed mortgage payment or eviction notice away from homelessness.

“The need for homelessness and housing services has surged, with Mission Australia’s homelessness services seeing a 19 per cent increase in demand in the past year. Our staff are facing unprecedented challenges securing accommodation for people and families in need because there simply isn’t enough truly affordable housing available.

“A truly responsible way to ensure that everyone has a safe and secure home should involve boosting the number of social and affordable homes to at least 10 per cent of all housing stock nationally and raising the maximum threshold for Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 60 per cent.

“We also need to move away from a crisis response to homelessness to one that is focused on prevention and early intervention. That’s why we continue to advocate for a $500 million Homelessness Prevention Transformation Fund to shift the system towards actively preventing homelessness from occurring in the first place.

“Fundamentally, a focus on prevention and early intervention is better for the people needing support, but it also makes sense economically.”

Ms Callister added, “The Government has largely focussed on middle Australia in this Budget, while leaving behind those struggling the most, and while the small tax cuts are welcome for many low-income earners, they won’t really move the pressure dial in this cost of living crunch. We are increasingly seeing people with paid work reaching out to us for help.

“We will continue to advocate for an increase to income support payments, including JobSeeker and Youth Allowance. Boosting these payments to at least $82 a day will create a fairer Australia and help people in need, allowing them to escape poverty and avoid homelessness.”