Anthony Albanese raises stakes in housing showdown with Greens
Anthony Albanese will stare down Greens’ threats to scuttle Labor’s housing agenda and reintroduce his $10bn Housing Australia Future Fund next week.
Anthony Albanese has set-up a parliamentary showdown with the Greens over the government’s $10bn Housing Australia Future Fund and ramped-up attacks on the left-wing party for “playing politics” with Labor’s marquee election policy.
The Prime Minister will stare down Greens’ threats to scuttle Labor’s housing agenda and reintroduce the HAFF bill and related legislation when MPs return to Canberra next week.
Ahead of visiting a new federally funded community housing project in Brisbane on Friday, Mr Albanese said “each and every time the Coalition and the Greens block this fund, they are delaying new homes for Australians who need them”.
“We will use every opportunity to deliver the social and affordable housing that this fund will provide. We will use every process available for this important legislation,” Mr Albanese said.
“Reintroducing this bill gives the Coalition and the Greens an opportunity to stop playing politics and support a $10bn housing fund that the Australian people clearly need and support.
“We’re not giving up on Australians who need and deserve the security of a roof over their head.”
Since the government was forced to delay a vote on the HAFF last month, Mr Albanese and Housing Minister Julie Collins have visited new commonwealth-funded housing projects in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland over the winter break.
The government says the HAFF will deliver 30,000 new social and affordable homes in its first five years, including 4000 homes for women and children who are affected by domestic violence and older women at risk of homelessness.
The fund will also provide $200m to repair and improve housing in remote Indigenous communities, and $30m to build housing and finance specialist services for veterans experiencing homelessness.
Following multiple failed attempts to pass the HAFF bill through parliament, Ms Collins will reintroduce the legislation in the House of Representatives ahead of a vote in October.
Mr Albanese last month heaped pressure on the Greens after unveiling a new $2bn social housing accelerator fund for states and territories to use for new builds, spot purchasing and renovating uninhabitable homes.
Greens housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather this week said the party remained open to negotiations with the Labor government over the HAFF.
A key demand from the Greens is for the federal government to commit $1bn towards a national rent freeze, which is expected to be discussed at an upcoming national cabinet meeting.
The Greens also want the government to spend $2.5bn per year for more public and affordable housing.
Master Builders Australia urged the Coalition and Greens to “come to the party” on the HAFF and NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson said “the work that we are doing, the work that everyone who is interested in actually delivering housing under these processes was doing, is now paused”.
BlueCHP chief executive Charles Northcote – who developed the Brisbane social housing complex Mr Albanese is due to visit on Friday – said his staff had spent 18-months preparing 3000 properties to start construction “as soon as the bill passed”.
Mr Northcote warned that construction could be stalled because “we may miss the boat”.
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