Opinion: Greens’ housing policy nothing more than a cruel scam

The Greens pretend to be a pure as holy water yet propose scams and schemes that give false hope, writes Robert Schwarten.

The cruel irony of the $12bn Greens housing policy that promises 360,000 new affordable homes over five years is that it is nothing more than a scam – and one that gives fake succour to those needing housing.

Homelessness was at its worst in the immediate post-war era.

The Great Depression, followed by war shortages, led to a supply shortage and little training of building workers.

At one point in Brisbane there were more than 5000 people living in tents in homeless camps at Victoria Point, Stafford and Carina.

The Chifley Labor government initiated the federal-state housing agreement as a result.

Money was loaned at low rates and gifted to states in return for a guarantee to find the land and build the houses.

The land was no problem as the state had the power to take it – and there were still large tracts of Crown land available.

Councils had no say.

The trees that were bulldozed housed koalas and every other species – but no one cared in those days.

Unskilled workers living in the tents were trained into trades as they built their own homes.

Greens federal leader Adam Bandt (front) in Brisbane last week with mayoral candidate Jonathan Sriranganathan (left) and state Member for Maiwar Michael Berkman. Picture: Dan Peled/NCA NewsWire

Some of the product of this era can still be seen today in these suburbs, but the price is now prohibitive for low to middle incomes.

That is the model the Greens scammers are plugging – albeit without the training element.

But today, instead of clear felling trees, the wholesale demolition of houses would need to happen to find the land.

Aside from grandstanding over the Eagle Farm racetrack, no other sites have been mentioned.

As state housing minister I embarked on a similar program, demolishing the hovels that remained in Inala following decades of neglect by conservative governments.

There were 500 vacant houses that no one wanted to live in.

An entire new suburb was created with a mix of housing ownership, private and public rental.

That was challenging enough.

It would be impossible now in suburbs where land and houses are in private ownership.

Hypocritically, greenies would also be gluing themselves to the bulldozers to oppose.

Herding needy people together as suggested by the Greens may have worked 80 years ago, but it’s a different world today.

The Greens give other politicians bad names, as they pretend to be a pure as holy water yet propose scams and schemes like this that give false hope to those who need the most help.

Robert Schwarten is a former state Labor minister

Originally published as Opinion: Greens’ housing policy nothing more than a cruel scam