Approximately 191,000 Australian households received assistance
last financial year through the Commonwealth-State Housing
Agreement (CSHA) with home purchase or private renting, according
to three reports released today by the Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Of the total, $606 million was provided for home purchase
assistance and $80 million for private rent assistance.
Head of the AIHW's Housing Assistance Unit, David Wilson, said
that the programs are designed to meet local needs facing state and
territory housing agencies, as well as meeting national housing
priorities.
'Home purchase assistance, usually provided as a loan by States
and Territories under the agreement, included $588 million in
direct lending, $11.4 million in interest rate assistance, $2.3
million in deposit assistance and $0.9 million in mortgage
relief.
Private rent assistance was provided for 149,000 households
across Australia. Of the $80 million spent, $49 million was in the
form of loans for rental bonds and $26.5 million for rental
assistance.
'Of the various types of private rent assistance available, bond
loans are the only repayable assistance given, and depending on the
jurisdiction it is either repaid in full at the end of a tenancy,
or repaid in fortnightly instalments.
'All jurisdictions except for the ACT provided bond loan
assistance to eligible people renting in the private sector. The
ACT has re-introduced a rental bond loan scheme for 2003-04
financial year, however', said Mr Wilson.
The CSHA also provided 3,383 dwellings for emergency
accommodation at 30 June 2003 under its Crisis Accommodation
Program (CAP), as well as $32 million on additional dwellings or
new constructions.
CAP-funded dwellings are used by Government, churches and other
welfare organisations to assist people in situations of actual or
impending crisis or homelessness. Support services to these
households are provided directly by health and community services
organisations, and the national Supported Accommodation Assistance
Program.
Reports:
Commonwealth -State Housing Agreement National Data Reports
2002-03: Home Purchase Assistance
Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement National Data Reports
2002-03: Crisis Accommodation Program
Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement National Data Reports
2002-03: Private Rent Assistance
12 March 2004
Further information: David Wilson, AIHW, tel.
02 6244 1202 or
0407 915 851 (mobile).
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. 02 6244 1032
Availability: Check the AIHW
Publications Catalogue for availability of the Commonwealth
-State Housing Agreement National Data Reports 2002-03 - March
2004.