Another day of campaigning and another Commonwealth Government move into an area traditionally controlled by the States.

Federal Community Services Minister Mal Brough has promised to look at ways of providing funds for public housing directly from Canberra using the private sector, local councils and non-governmental organisations. If the Minister, who has also taken over Territory responsibility for Aboriginal welfare, gets his way there will be no new Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement when the current one expires in July next year.

“You don’t need to go through the states to get the best option,” Mr Brough told a conference in Brisbane.

The Commonwealth decision to be “bold” in respect of housing is in marked contrast with the approach being taken by Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott, with the Federal-State agreement on hospital funding which also only runs until next June. Mr Abbott told State Health ministers this month that he was not prepared to begin negotiations on a new agreement because it was more important for him to concentrate on winning the next federal election.

Presumably that means the Coalition parties believe there are votes to be won on housing whereas any link with the problems of public hospitals can only be a vote loser.