Australia's peak body for social services has released its housing and homelessness services election policy priorities. It is calling for an increase to funding for homelessness services and affordable housing.

Key proposals are:

• Develop a national affordable housing strategy in dialogue with other governments and stakeholders
• Boost funding for capital growth under a new affordable housing agreement (Cost: $1,000 million)
• Reform the tax treatment of capital gains and negative gearing (see revenue section of this statement)
• Use part of the revenue savings to introduce an affordable housing investment incentive to encourage investment in affordable rental housing, including a higher subsidy for investment in social housing
• Increase the maximum rate of Rent Assistance for low-income earners by 30% (Cost:$800 million)
• Develop a national urban, rural, regional and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander strategy with earmarked funds to support the growth of Indigenous Community Housing Organisations (Cost: $155 million)
• Negotiate a new remote housing funding agreement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with costs shared equally between State and Territory parties. (Cost: $450 million)