Australian Greens demand $4.6 billion for women’s safety housing

The Australian Greens have called for an additional $4.6 billion in social‑housing investment to address a severe shortfall affecting women and children fleeing domestic violence. A 2024‑25 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report shows more than 100,000 people seek specialist homelessness services each year, with nearly 12,000 women and children missing out on short‑term accommodation and 60 % of those leaving crisis housing lacking stable homes.

Greens leader Senator Larissa Waters said housing is a “women’s safety issue”, criticizing the lack of funding that forces many victims to return to abusive partners. She compared the $4.6 billion request to the revenue that a gas export tax could generate and to current spending on nuclear submarines. The call was made ahead of a meeting of the Women’s Safety Ministers Council, where state and federal women’s safety ministers will discuss funding, public‑housing investment and frontline services.

Waters urged the government to prioritize public‑housing construction and support for frontline services, arguing that the sector cannot wait any longer to meet the urgent needs of women and children seeking safety.