Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is under pressure over the housing crisis. Picture: NewsWire/ Nadir Kinani
A move to force developers to make 30 per cent of homes built on public land affordable is cranking up pressure on the Albanese government as billions in defence property go up for sale.
Under current rules, no affordable homes are legally required on any of it, with a bill introduced by federal ACT independent senator David Pocock the first legislative attempt to close that gap.
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The Royal Australian Air Force Point Cook Base, known as RAAF Base Williams, is one of the properties up for sale.
Senator for the Australian Capital Territory David Pocock at Parliament House last week. Picture: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images.
This as the federal government is selling off 67 surplus Defence sites – an asset divestment confirmed in February following an independent audit of the defence estate spanning every state and territory, with no legal requirement for affordable housing components on relevant land.
Senator Pocock’s Commonwealth Land (Affordable Housing) Bill 2026 would require at least 30 per cent of all homes built on Commonwealth land sold or leased to private developers to be designated affordable – with rent capped at either 75 per cent of market rate or 30 per cent of the tenant’s household income, whichever is lower.
If supported, it would see a development of 200 homes on a single surplus site produce 60 dwellings rented at rates tied to what tenants can actually afford to pay.
Eligibility would be limited to households earning below the median income for the relevant area – targeting key workers and middle-income renters locked out of the private market, not solely those in acute housing distress.
Victoria Barracks in Sydney is for sale. Picture: NewsWire / POOL/ Flavio Brancaleone
The bill passed its first Senate procedural hurdle without opposition and would require committee consideration and a vote – as well as government or crossbench support to pass.
Senator Pocock, a former Wallabies captain, framed the bill as a response to what he described as a mounting housing crisis the Albanese Government had begun to address but not yet at the required scale.
He pointed to the Housing Australia Future Fund – the centrepiece of the government’s housing policy – as being “maxed out by the end of 2026” and unable to extend its current program beyond 2029.
“I commend the Albanese Government on its focus on increasing social and affordable housing supply but urge them in their second term to increase their ambition,” Senator Pocock said. “The job has only started on addressing housing in Australia and there’s a lot of anxiety around what happens once HAFF round three concludes.”
St Lucia Training Depot in Queensland is one of the prime inner-city properties up for grabs.
“In the UK we see Andy Burnham promising the largest council house-building program in the post-war period,” Senator Pocock said. “Canada’s National Housing Strategy is investing upwards of $82 billion in housing. We need the Australian Government to also go big.”
According to the Anglicare Rental Affordability Snapshot for March 2026, less than one per cent of all rentals available to let were affordable for a couple on the age pension.
The National Housing Supply and Affordability Council’s 2026 Annual Report found the housing system “has worked for some Australians rather than for all Australians”, while National Shelter estimated a national shortfall of 640,000 social and affordable homes.
STATUS OF DEFENCE ESTATE AUDIT SITES:
ALREADY SOLD:
QLD:
Garbutt (Duckworth Street)
Magnetic Island (Amaroo Apartments)
NSW:
Haberfield Training Depot
Penrith Training Depot
SALES PROCESS STARTED:
VIC:
Defence Site Maribyrnong
NSW:
Londonderry Transmitting Station
ACT:
Pialligo South
NT:
Stokes Hill Fuel Installation
QLD:
Strathmuir
SET FOR PARTIAL SALE:
NT:
Defence Establishment Berrimah
VIC:
HMAS Cerberus
RAAF Williams – Laverton
Swan Island
NSW:
HMAS Penguin
Randwick Barracks
QLD:
Kokoda Barracks
SA:
Warradale Barracks
UP FOR FULL SELL-OFF:
ACT:
Fairbairn golf course
QLD:
Atherton Rifle Range
Milne Bay Training Depot
Purga Rifle Range
St Lucia Training Depot
Victoria Barracks Brisbane
NSW:
Banksmeadow Training Depot
Bathurst Stores Training Depot
Lancer Barracks
RAAF Glenbrook
Spectacle Island
Timor Barracks
Victoria Barracks Sydney
TAS:
Buckland Military Training Area
Burnie Training Depot
Derwent Barracks
Devonport Training Depot
Fort Direction
Scottsdale
Stony Head Training Area
Youngtown Training Depot
VIC
Carlton Training Depot
Fort Queenscliff
Geelong (Air Force Cadet unit)
Kyneton Training Depot
Latchford Barracks
Newland Barracks
RAAF Williams – Point Cook
Repatriation Clinic – 310 St Kilda Road
Sandringham Training Depot
St Kilda Training Depot
Victoria Barracks Melbourne
SA:
Edinburgh Parks
Hampstead Barracks
Woodside Barracks
WA:
Irwin Barracks
Leeuwin Barracks
NT:
Kowandi North
(Source: Defence.gov.au)
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