Prime Minister Calls Out Greens Political Games

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 28, 2023. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has scolded the Australian Greens, the federal government’s chosen partner in the senate, for failing to support the government’s $10 billion (US$6.7 billion) affordable housing bill.

The Housing Australia Future Fund was a key election promise by Labor and is billed as being able to finance the construction of 30,000 homes over five years for vulnerable Australians. Federal Housing Minister Julie Collins has previously warned many Australians are at risk of homelessness and needed the policy up and running sooner rather than later.

Currently, both the Greens and independent senators, David Pocock and Tammy Tyrell, are calling for significant amendments to pass the bill.

Albanese said that the Greens’ spokesperson for housing and homelessness, Max Chandler-Mather, was more obsessed with the politics of the issue than actually working with the government to create the Housing Australia Future Fund.

“We want to invest in affordable housing,” Albanese said. “All those who say they support increased investment in social and affordable housing should vote for the bill. It’s as simple as that.

“I find it rather bizarre, the argument that says, ‘What we want is more money, and therefore we’ll vote for no money.' It’s up to the Greens political party to explain their position on that.”

The prime minister said that he believed there was politics being played.

“I want outcomes,” he said. “We have our Housing Australia Future Fund. It is a clear policy. We have a mandate for it.”

Greens Call Future Fund Morally Repugnant

On Tuesday, the Greens said they would no longer support the government’s Housing Australia Future Fund, calling it a morally repugnant billion-dollar gamble. They are seeking amendments that would provide $5 billion a year for public, community and affordable housing and a national freeze on rent increases.

“Labor’s plan to gamble $10 billion of public money on Peter Costello’s Future Fund, which last year would have lost $120 million, is an insult to the millions of people in this country in desperate need of an affordable home,” the Greens said.

“We need public and affordable housing now, but the Government’s current plan won’t start delivering any homes or funding until 2025 because it relies on a gamble on the stock market, but the Greens are willing and ready to work with the Government to pass a plan that invests billions of dollars right now in building public housing and freezes rents right now.”

Australian Greens leader Adam Bandt (C) claps during the Greens national campaign launch at Black Hops Brewery in Brisbane, Australia, on May 16, 2022. Dan Peled/Getty Images

The Greens noted that they have a proven track record on negotiating with other key legislation like the Safeguard, NRF and other pieces of government legislation but that they have drawn a handling on Labor’s approach to the housing plan.

Meanwhile, Jacqui Lambie Network senator Tammy Tyrrell is pushing for a minimum of 1,200 homes for her home state of Tasmania, saying a failure to secure the commitment is a deal breaker.

“Anything less than that is going backwards. It won’t go anywhere towards helping to solve our housing crisis,” she said.

“Homelessness in Tasmania is growing faster than in any other state. In five years’ time, another 1,100 Tasmanians will be homeless.”

Coalition Criticised for Not Supporting Labor

Albanese also called out the Coalition for refusing to support the new legislation, arguing that the opposition was simply filibustering to hold up the legislative process on issues.

“If the Coalition actually participated in this Parliament with something other than just filibustering, then you would get different outcomes as well,” he said.

Cabinet minister Tony Burke also called for the opposition to step in and help the government get the legislation through.

“When the situation is so acute, I don’t see how you can genuinely recognise the desperate need that we have for more social and affordable housing and vote against something that’s providing that,” he told ABC radio on Wednesday.

“We’re in this situation dealing with the crossbench the way we are because ... the opposition have taken the view that they'll just vote no.”

Leader of the House Tony Burke reacts during question time at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on July 28, 2022. Martin Ollman/Getty Images

But Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said more borrowing to stand up the housing fund, together with the Labor government’s other policy-linked funds, would put pressure on the budget at a time when fiscal restraint was necessary.

“Spending right now, borrowing right now, that’s going to put pressure on households,” he told AAP.

He said the government needed to help the Reserve Bank rein in inflation by curbing spending.

“Every household is working hard to manage their budgets, so the government should manage its budget so it’s not having to borrow more money.”