The Greens will rally outside the Labor national conference to protest the government’s housing policy
The Greens are renewing the protests against the Albanese government’s housing policy with a high-profile protest outside Labor’s national conference in Brisbane.
The Greens are amping up their attack on Anthony Albanese’s attempt to address the housing crisis, accusing his government of selling out renters and home buyers as the Labor Party holds its national conference.
The minor party’s housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather will address a rally outside the conference venue in Brisbane on Saturday, still dissatisfied with the government’s attempts to address the housing crisis.
The Greens have not been swayed by the government’s approach to addressing the issue of home ownership and renting, despite national cabinet on Wednesday announcing a new policy across all states.
“The modern Labor Party acts more like the party of the banks and property investors, than the party of the worker. While the banks make record profits, renters cop record rent increases,” Mr Chandler-Mather will tell he rally.
“While property investors get $39bn in tax concessions, renters pay an extra $5bn in rent. And while over a million people wait for a public or affordable home, we’re told they have to settle for at most 6000 homes a year.
“And when every Labor Premier and the first Labor Prime Minister in a decade met this week with the power to do something about this crisis, what did they do? Nothing.”
National cabinet, dominated by Labor leaders, met in Brisbane on Wednesday where the Prime Minister announced an additional $3bn sweetener for states and territories should they build more than their share of the one million well-located homes target set under the National Housing Accord.
Mr Chandler-Mather said on Wednesday the updated package was not enough to sway the Greens to break the stalemate and support the government’s $10bn Housing Australia Future Fund, which remains deadlocked in the Senate.
The new funding coincides with an increase in the National Housing Accord target, which has risen by 200,000 to 1.2 million new homes over the next five years.
Mr Albanese’s new blueprint to reform national planning laws will include measures to cut red tape, fast-track property approvals, and change zoning laws.
National cabinet also agreed to a nationally consistent approach to renting, including a limit of one rent increase a year and minimal standards for renters.
If the Senate fails to pass the HAFF legislation in October, the bill may act as a trigger for a double dissolution election, sending Australians back to the polls.
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