First-home buyers assistance, Indigenous housing support and grants for homeless support services are all facing cuts in the federal budget.
In addition to major cuts in health and welfare spending, the budget will axe the first-home saver accounts scheme, which provided $18m last year in assistance to first-home owners.
The scheme offered tax concessions and government contributions and high interest rates for account holders that were only accessible after four years on the purchase of a first home.
Any accounts opened after treasurer Joe Hockey’s budget announcement will no longer be able to gain concessions.
The housing and homeless service improvement and sector support scheme, which provides grants for homelessness and community assistance, will also be reduced from $8m to $5m. The department has consolidated a number of different grant programs.
Indigenous housing development assistance under the strategic Indigenous housing and infrastructure program will also no longer be provided.
The five-year scheme helped renovate and replace housing in remote Indigenous communities, and was due to end in 2013 but has not been renewed in the current budget.
The program supported a range of building projects and provided $26.9m in infrastructure assistance in 2013.
