Ministerial arrangements

I welcome the great honour to serve as the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in the Albanese Labor Government and thank the Prime Minister for this new challenge.

Agriculture plays a vital role in our country, and our national economy continues to rely on a strong and diverse sector.

As a representative of so many incredible farmers in my own electorate, I am committed to engaging and listening to our rural communities and representing Australia’s farmers in the Albanese Labor Government.

I look forward to continuing the good work of my colleague Senator Murray Watt, alongside my role as Minister for Small Business, and congratulate my colleague Senator Anthony Chisholm on his new role as Assistant Minister for Agriculture.

I know firsthand that a place to call home is life changing, so it has been a great honour to serve as the Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness in a reforming Labor Government.

I’m proud of what my colleagues and I have delivered since the election, and the hard work we have done to turn around the challenges we inherited.

We have established the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, the single biggest investment in social and affordable housing in more than a decade.

This new Fund will be supported by the $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator which is helping to deliver thousands of new social homes across Australia.

We have secured an historic agreement at National Cabinet to build 1.2 million homes by the end of the decade with big reforms to planning and renters’ rights.

We have expanded and improved the Home Guarantee Scheme, helping more than 110,000 Australians into home ownership.

We have secured a new $9.3 billion 5-year National Agreement on Social Housing and Homelessness which commenced earlier this month and includes a doubling of Commonwealth homelessness funding.

Meaningful change in housing can only be achieved through partnerships and collaboration so I want to thank all those who have supported me in this role.

Above all I want to thank the everyday Australians who took me into their confidence, and often into their homes, and told me why our reforms are so important.

These stories inspired and encouraged me every day as Minister.

I congratulate Clare O’Neil on her appointment as Minister for Housing, and know she will continue our Government’s proud record of reform as she delivers our $32 billion Homes for Australia plan.