Home truths on housing target in leaked Treasury advice
Independent advice from the Treasury department, which was unintentionally sent to the ABC, reportedly contained subheadings which said the federal government's promise to build 1.2 million homes by 2029 "will not be met" and called for "additional revenue and spending reductions" to achieve a sustainable budget.
Though he acknowledged Treasury's advice had been sent "in error", Treasurer Jim Chalmers said such incidents could happen from time to time.
"I'm pretty relaxed about it to be honest," he told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
"Treasury advises governments of both political persuasions - that advice can't be always adequately captured in the subheadings."
A 2025 report from the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council - another independent government advice body - in May warned Labor would fall short of its goal by about 300,000 dwellings.
It followed a report in March commissioned by the Property Council of Australia showing the government needed to build another 462,000 homes to meet its 2029 target.
Asked if the government regretted putting out a housing target, Dr Chalmers said his government needed to be ambitious.
The government has also attempted to address its bottom line by reining in spending on the National Disability Insurance Scheme and proposing an increased tax on super balances above $3 million.
Dr Chalmers has pledged to strengthen Australia's economy ahead of a trip to South Africa, where he will meet with his counterparts from other G20 countries as they deal with "extreme global economic uncertainty".
Economic ties with countries like Indonesia, Japan, the UK and Germany could be strengthened as leaders discuss capital flows, supply chains, critical minerals and issues within their own communities.
But domestically, one of the key focuses of Labor's second-term economic agenda will be to boost productivity.
The agenda of an economic reform roundtable, to be held in August, has been finalised with Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock set to kick off day one, Productivity Commission chair Danielle Wood to lead day two and Treasury secretary Jenny Wilkinson to head day three.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley claimed the government was "ignoring some of the very levers that matter most" in the productivity puzzle.
While Dr Chalmers acknowledged he could not invite every industry, he said there would be many opportunities for people to contribute.
The accidental release of government department advice which warned Labor was not going to meet its housing target and urged them to raise taxes, has not rattled the treasurer.
Independent advice from the Treasury department, which was unintentionally sent to the ABC, reportedly contained subheadings which said the federal government's promise to build 1.2 million homes by 2029 "will not be met" and called for "additional revenue and spending reductions" to achieve a sustainable budget.
Though he acknowledged Treasury's advice had been sent "in error", Treasurer Jim Chalmers said such incidents could happen from time to time.
"I'm pretty relaxed about it to be honest," he told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
"Treasury advises governments of both political persuasions - that advice can't be always adequately captured in the subheadings."
A 2025 report from the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council - another independent government advice body - in May warned Labor would fall short of its goal by about 300,000 dwellings.
It followed a report in March commissioned by the Property Council of Australia showing the government needed to build another 462,000 homes to meet its 2029 target.
Asked if the government regretted putting out a housing target, Dr Chalmers said his government needed to be ambitious.
The government has also attempted to address its bottom line by reining in spending on the National Disability Insurance Scheme and proposing an increased tax on super balances above $3 million.
Dr Chalmers has pledged to strengthen Australia's economy ahead of a trip to South Africa, where he will meet with his counterparts from other G20 countries as they deal with "extreme global economic uncertainty".
Economic ties with countries like Indonesia, Japan, the UK and Germany could be strengthened as leaders discuss capital flows, supply chains, critical minerals and issues within their own communities.
But domestically, one of the key focuses of Labor's second-term economic agenda will be to boost productivity.
The agenda of an economic reform roundtable, to be held in August, has been finalised with Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock set to kick off day one, Productivity Commission chair Danielle Wood to lead day two and Treasury secretary Jenny Wilkinson to head day three.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley claimed the government was "ignoring some of the very levers that matter most" in the productivity puzzle.
While Dr Chalmers acknowledged he could not invite every industry, he said there would be many opportunities for people to contribute.
The accidental release of government department advice which warned Labor was not going to meet its housing target and urged them to raise taxes, has not rattled the treasurer.
Independent advice from the Treasury department, which was unintentionally sent to the ABC, reportedly contained subheadings which said the federal government's promise to build 1.2 million homes by 2029 "will not be met" and called for "additional revenue and spending reductions" to achieve a sustainable budget.
Though he acknowledged Treasury's advice had been sent "in error", Treasurer Jim Chalmers said such incidents could happen from time to time.
"I'm pretty relaxed about it to be honest," he told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
"Treasury advises governments of both political persuasions - that advice can't be always adequately captured in the subheadings."
A 2025 report from the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council - another independent government advice body - in May warned Labor would fall short of its goal by about 300,000 dwellings.
It followed a report in March commissioned by the Property Council of Australia showing the government needed to build another 462,000 homes to meet its 2029 target.
Asked if the government regretted putting out a housing target, Dr Chalmers said his government needed to be ambitious.
The government has also attempted to address its bottom line by reining in spending on the National Disability Insurance Scheme and proposing an increased tax on super balances above $3 million.
Dr Chalmers has pledged to strengthen Australia's economy ahead of a trip to South Africa, where he will meet with his counterparts from other G20 countries as they deal with "extreme global economic uncertainty".
Economic ties with countries like Indonesia, Japan, the UK and Germany could be strengthened as leaders discuss capital flows, supply chains, critical minerals and issues within their own communities.
But domestically, one of the key focuses of Labor's second-term economic agenda will be to boost productivity.
The agenda of an economic reform roundtable, to be held in August, has been finalised with Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock set to kick off day one, Productivity Commission chair Danielle Wood to lead day two and Treasury secretary Jenny Wilkinson to head day three.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley claimed the government was "ignoring some of the very levers that matter most" in the productivity puzzle.
While Dr Chalmers acknowledged he could not invite every industry, he said there would be many opportunities for people to contribute.
The accidental release of government department advice which warned Labor was not going to meet its housing target and urged them to raise taxes, has not rattled the treasurer.
Independent advice from the Treasury department, which was unintentionally sent to the ABC, reportedly contained subheadings which said the federal government's promise to build 1.2 million homes by 2029 "will not be met" and called for "additional revenue and spending reductions" to achieve a sustainable budget.
Though he acknowledged Treasury's advice had been sent "in error", Treasurer Jim Chalmers said such incidents could happen from time to time.
"I'm pretty relaxed about it to be honest," he told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
"Treasury advises governments of both political persuasions - that advice can't be always adequately captured in the subheadings."
A 2025 report from the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council - another independent government advice body - in May warned Labor would fall short of its goal by about 300,000 dwellings.
It followed a report in March commissioned by the Property Council of Australia showing the government needed to build another 462,000 homes to meet its 2029 target.
Asked if the government regretted putting out a housing target, Dr Chalmers said his government needed to be ambitious.
The government has also attempted to address its bottom line by reining in spending on the National Disability Insurance Scheme and proposing an increased tax on super balances above $3 million.
Dr Chalmers has pledged to strengthen Australia's economy ahead of a trip to South Africa, where he will meet with his counterparts from other G20 countries as they deal with "extreme global economic uncertainty".
Economic ties with countries like Indonesia, Japan, the UK and Germany could be strengthened as leaders discuss capital flows, supply chains, critical minerals and issues within their own communities.
But domestically, one of the key focuses of Labor's second-term economic agenda will be to boost productivity.
The agenda of an economic reform roundtable, to be held in August, has been finalised with Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock set to kick off day one, Productivity Commission chair Danielle Wood to lead day two and Treasury secretary Jenny Wilkinson to head day three.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley claimed the government was "ignoring some of the very levers that matter most" in the productivity puzzle.
While Dr Chalmers acknowledged he could not invite every industry, he said there would be many opportunities for people to contribute.
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