Sussan Ley lashes government over double-dissolution threat

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley has accused the government of acting at the “height of arrogance” in its attempt to pass a signature policy.

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley has accused the federal government of acting at the “height of arrogance” over threats of a double dissolution if its $10bn housing policy fails to pass the upper house for the second time.

Mr Albanese said the government would reintroduce the Bill into the House of Representatives once parliament resumes next week.

The Bill is expected to be debated and passed through the lower house in October before it will be moved to the Senate.

However, if it is rejected for the second time within three months, it would fulfil the requirements needed for a double dissolution. This would give the government the option to call for an early election, which would dissolve both houses of parliament and send voters to the polls.

As it stands, the Bill was rejected by the Coalition and the Greens in June. The Coalition argued the Bill’s social housing provisions didn’t go far enough.

Appearing alongside Education Minister Jason Clare on Sunrise, Ms Ley said the government should focus on tackling inflation instead of making “threats about an early election”.

“Threatening the Australian people with an early election is the height of arrogance,” she said.

“The policy does not stack up. Meanwhile, the economy-wrecking approach is making it more and more expensive to build a home.”

Sussan Ley accused the government of acting at the ‘height of ignorance’. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

In a fiery back-and-forth, she was then accused by Mr Clare of “lying to the Australian people”. Undeterred, Ms Ley doubled down on her attack.

“Just listen to Jason (Clare) not actually admit that this is about threatening the Australian people with early double dissolution. What arrogance when people are struggling,” she said.

“Focus on the cost of living crisis. Focus on the people who are hurting. I am seeing them every day. Focus on Australian, everyday Australians,” she said.

Quizzed by reporters on Friday, Mr Albanese refused to rule out the possibility of a double dissolution. While he said a potential election would not happen this year, he said it was up to the Coalition and the Greens to remove the “trigger” by passing the Bill in the Senate.

The Bill aims to inject about 30,000 new social and affordable homes into the market over five years through an annual $500m investment.

“I want this legislation to be passed. I can’t be more serious,” he said.

“Governments need to make sure that we increase housing supply … we’re talking about a supply mechanism that’s available right now that’s being denied.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government would reintroduce the Bill when parliament resumes next week. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

On Friday, Labor ministers tried to play down the likelihood of a double dissolution.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said it was “not about the election” and asked the Greens and Liberal MPs to “come to their senses”.

“(It’s about) following through on commitments that we made on the last election for which we received a mandate,” he said on Today.

“It is a policy that would make a difference. Thirty-thousand new social and affordable houses in the market would make a material difference to the supply and cost of housing.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong dismissed questions over whether the government was “angling” for an early election and said she wasn’t “speculating” on the likelihood of a double dissolution.

“The government’s angling for and focusing on more housing for Australians,” she said on ABC News Breakfast.

“My focus as senate leader will be on advocating to the Greens and to the community why we need this legislation.

“The Greens voting with Peter Dutton has to be one of the most unholy alliances we have seen for some time in politics.”