Anglicare congratulates the Albanese Government, stresses the need for urgent action on housing, cost-of-living and aged care

Anglicare Sydney extends its congratulations to the re-elected Albanese Government and looks forward to working together to improve outcomes for those most in need in our community.

CEO of Anglicare Sydney, Simon Miller, encourages the Albanese Government to make housing an urgent priority, particularly more social and affordable housing to help those most impacted by cost-of-living pressures.

"Financial hardship is now impacting people across the spectrum, including those with full time jobs. In fact, demand for our services higher than ever before.

"Were' seeing parents are struggling to put food on the table, and families being forced from their homes due to rising rents, and those escaping domestic violence often have nowhere to turn as they start over.

"Housing is the cost-of-living burden that affects everyone but has never been properly addressed. The government must act on this national emergency," CEO Simon Miller said.

Anglicare commits to engaging constructively with the new Government, Opposition and crossbench MPs to advocate for policies that uphold the common good, serve the vulnerable and enable every person to flourish.

Housing
Anglicare's 2025 Rental Affordability Snapshot showed that just 0.1% of NSW rental listings were affordable for people on income support. Anglicare is calling for urgent action to:

1. Double the Housing Australia Future Fund – Deliver long-term investment in social and affordable housing to meet rising demand
2. Commit to 25,000 new homes in NSW – Fast-track the delivery of 25,000 social and affordable dwellings in NSW over the next decade, including for people experiencing homelessness.
3. Ensure supply of new social and affordable housing for older people and fund wrap-around supports.
4. Legislate a National Housing and Homelessness Plan – Create a clear framework for sustained investment and coordination across all levels of government. 

Cost-of-Living
To provide meaningful relief, Anglicare Sydney urges the Federal Government to:

1. Raise JobSeeker to at least $80 per day
2. With 95% of people accessing Anglicare's emergency relief services relying on income support, it's clear the safety net is failing those who need it most.
3. Increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) by at least 50%. A significant increase to CRA is essential to reduce housing stress and help vulnerable Australians maintain secure housing.

Aged Care
Anglicare Sydney welcomes the Albanese Government’s commitment to aged care reform through the new Aged Care Act and is fully committed to delivering person-centred, high-quality care aligned with the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards.

However, with the 1 July 2025 start date fast approaching, concerns remain about the sector’s ability to implement all of the reforms by then, due to the complexity of operational changes required and given the final Rules are still to be provided.

Anglicare Sydney urges the Government to address transition timeframes and support aged care providers through this significant change to ensure older Australians can access the care they need.

ENDS

Media contact:
Dylan Malloch
Head of Media and Communications
0492 044 981
Dylan.Malloch@anglicare.org.au