3 February 2009

Fact Sheet - 2009 Updated Economic and Fiscal Outlook

Note

Additional Defence Housing Construction Program

The Government will provide an additional $252 million to Defence Housing Australia (DHA) to enable an extra 802 residential houses to be constructed for Australian Defence Force personnel.

The 802 houses are in addition to DHA's existing construction program and will be built across metropolitan and regional Australia.

The construction program will commence in April 2009 and run through to March 2011.

Questions and Answers

How many individuals will benefit

  • An anticipated 315 additional houses will commence by June 2009, with 725 of the total of 802 houses expected to commence this calendar year.
  • These additional houses will supply needed accommodation to serving Australian Defence Force members and their families in line with the ongoing operational requirements of the Australian Defence Force.
  • The construction of additional Defence housing will allow some Defence Force families to transfer from existing private rental accommodation, thereby providing some relief in private rental accommodation demands for the benefit of the broader community.

What will this initiative do for the economy?

  • The expansion of DHA's existing construction program will provide a $252 million stimulus to the Australian housing industry in addition to DHA's existing capital expenditure program of $1.23 billion from 2008 through to 2011.
  • The construction program will provide more employment within the construction industry and boost local economies.

When will the package commence?

  • Housing industry participants will be able to tender for an additional $100 million worth of residential construction during 2008-09 and a further $152 million in the 2009-10 financial year.
  • DHA has serviced land on which new construction can commence soon.

The DHA construction program will be carried out in 17 regional and metropolitan centres across Australia. The regions to benefit from the construction package are: Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Melbourne, Hobart, Townsville, Cairns, Hunter, Ipswich, Sale, Singleton, Sydney, Wagga Wagga, Wodonga, Nowra and Toowoomba.