The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has welcomed the federal budget, which includes measures aimed at increasing the supply of affordable housing.

HIA managing director Ron Silberberg said the $21.7 billion surplus would help mitigate interest rate pressures and investment in infrastructure and skills would help reduce inflationary constraints and increase productive capacity.

"Measures aimed at boosting the supply of new housing along with desperately needed urban infrastructure will assist in pegging the gap between underlying demand and current production,'' Dr Siberberg said in a statement.

Housing commitments in the budget include $500 million over five years for a housing affordability fund, $623 million over four years for a national rental scheme, $1.17 billion over five years for first home saver accounts and $10 million to assist with financial counselling for Australians facing mortgage and rental stress.

The government had increased investment in skills to address immediate and longer-term needs for tradespeople for the housing industry, according to HIA.

"Tonight's budget provides $2.5 billion over the next 10 years for trades training in schools and $1.9 billion to deliver an additional 630,000 training places including 85,000 apprenticeship places over the next five years,'' Dr Siberberg said.

"This is a positive start in addressing severe skills shortages.''

HIA also said it applauded measures aimed at making cities more efficient and productive through new investment in transport, community facilities and services is.

AAP