Affordable housing a priority: Inquiry

The recommendations from a Senate committee inquiry into affordable housing, in which Rockingham's homeless voiced their concerns, have been released.

Among the 40 recommendations, the committee called on the Government to place affordable housing at the forefront of government policy across Australia, allocate a dedicated minister for housing and homelessness, reinvigorate the National Affordability Housing Agreement and recommit to halving homelessness by 2025.

WA Greens Senator Scott Ludlam, who took part in the Senate Economics References Committee report, said it was now clear Australia had the tools at hand to deal with the housing affordability crisis.

Mr Ludlam said the report recommended the reinstatement of a range of programs and measures cut in the 2014 Budget and he called on Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey to make amends by reversing the half a billion dollars worth in cuts in this week's Budget. Rockingham's homeless gave evidence to the committee in November calling for Centrelink to become a one-stop shop for the homeless, land or empty buildings to take refuge in, to fix the flaws in the National Rental Affordability Scheme and make a 10-year commitment to the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness.

Homeless advocate Jonathan Shapiera, who was one of five who spoke at the inquiry, said it was quite daunting to realise the committee had listened.