A recent meeting between Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) CEO Dr Jerry Nockles and Ben Rimmer, Director-General of the Housing Group in the Federal Department of Treasury, has reignited critical discussions regarding Australia’s housing and homelessness crisis.
During the meeting Dr Nockles presented Mr Rimmer with the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference 2025–26 Social Justice Statement, Signs of Hope on the Edge: Serving those living in homelessness and with mental ill-health.
“This meeting represented a real opportunity to advance meaningful change on one of Australia’s most pressing social challenges. There is genuine alignment between CSSA and Treasury on the scale and urgency of Australia’s housing and homelessness challenge,” Dr Nockles said.
A key focus of the meeting was government land assets as a significant untapped opportunity for housing development. The conversation revealed that asset management practices – including the tendency to hold land at inflated valuations rather than releasing it at realistic market rates – create barriers to development.
“Just as the Church has demonstrated through projects like Yes, In Faith’s Backyard that we can repurpose our own land for housing, government has the opportunity to do the same,” Dr Nockles said. “We need to see government land released at realistic valuations so that developers and community housing providers can build the homes Australians desperately need.”
Preventing people from becoming homeless when they exit institutions such as hospitals, mental health facilities and correctional settings was a critical priority that also emerged.
“This meeting was the beginning of a genuine dialogue,” Dr Nockles said. “We are committed to working with Treasury and across government to drive real solutions to housing and homelessness. We will continue to advocate for policies that protect the dignity and rights of people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity, and we will offer our expertise, our networks, and our on-the-ground knowledge in service of addressing these challenges.”
Capital gains tax reform
In related news, the St Vincent de Paul Society National Council of Australia is urging the Federal Government to reform the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) discount to create a fairer, more equitable tax system and help address Australia’s housing crisis.
The Society says the current 50 percent discount unduly benefits high-income earners, fuels investor demand for existing housing stock, and drives up prices, leaving renters and first-home buyers at a severe disadvantage.
“Our members and volunteers witness every day how current tax settings deepen inequality, lock younger Australians out of home ownership, and leave too many people struggling to find secure housing,” explained the Society’s National President, Mark Gaetani.
The Society is calling for a gradual reduction of the CGT discount from 50 percent to 25 percent over five years, applied consistently across individuals, trusts and superannuation funds.
Research commissioned by the Society from the Australian National University in 2022 revealed that even a modest reduction in the CGT discount to 37.5 percent could raise around $4 billion annually – funds that could be used to increase working-age payments, boost Commonwealth Rent Assistance and lift 120,000 households out of poverty.
The Society’s recommendations also call for revenue from CGT reform to be reinvested in social and affordable housing, homelessness services, and measures to reduce inequality.
“Ensuring that everyone has a secure place to live strengthens communities, reduces inequality, and improves social and economic wellbeing individually and collectively,” Mr Gaetani said.
“By recalibrating the CGT discount, we can take a meaningful step toward a fairer housing market and a more compassionate Australia.”