At *The Age*'s landmark civic forum in Melbourne, federal and state leaders turned their focus toward housing affordability and urban infrastructure, highlighting a major push to support first-time property buyers.
Speaking at the inaugural Melbourne Assembly, leaders addressed the ongoing challenges of urban planning, transit development, and housing accessibility. The discussions aligned with a joint announcement by the federal and Victorian Labor governments detailing a housing and infrastructure funding agreement aimed at unlocking more than 66,000 new homes across the state, with over 25,000 explicitly reserved for first home buyers.
The broader assembly discussions also touched upon Melbourne's historical growth, ongoing major transport projects such as the Metro Tunnel and Airport Rail, and expressions of support for regional Victorian community representatives following local incidents.
Under the housing partnership, the federal government is committing $2.5 billion—comprising $2 billion in concession loans and $499 million in grants—to eliminate infrastructure bottlenecks, supported by a matched state contribution of at least $499 million. The initiative forms part of a wider national effort to bring homeownership back into reach for younger Australians.
