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Australia's Swan: Need To Do More On Housing Supply



CANBERRA -(Dow Jones)- Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan said Friday that federal and state governments need to do more to boost the supply of housing, particularly given an existing shortage and the country's growing population.

"We've got to get ahead of the curve. We've not been building enough houses and we have strong population growth so it will be very important as we move through to economic recovery to ensure we don't have capacity constraints that flow from the shortage of housing," he told reporters.

The treasurer's comments echo similar remarks from the Reserve Bank of Australia, which is concerned that the limited supply of new housing could push up prices.

Swan also reiterated the government stimulus programs had peaked and would continue to diminish during 2010.

-By Rachel Pannett, Dow Jones Newswires;

61-2-6208-0901; rachel.pannett@dowjones.com


  (END) Dow Jones Newswires
  10-22-092152ET
  Copyright (c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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