In a last-ditch effort to persuade the Greens not to derail Labor’s defining housing policy in the Senate, the federal government has announced it will spend $2 billion to state and territory governments within weeks for a social housing accelerator fund.
One of the conference’s main themes on day one was addressing the housing affordability challenge. Motions to proclaim housing a human right, implement a required inclusionary zoning program, and offer affordable housing for young people all received unanimous support.
Another motion called for a limit on the number of nights a property owner may rent out a unit for short-term lodging each year, and a recommendation to the national conference to “remove negative gearing tax arrangements” for such properties was passed. Although the motions are not legally binding, they are crucial in determining Labor policy.
While praising the prime minister’s funding announcement, delegates noted that “more to do” remained to combat homelessness and Victoria’s record-breaking public housing waitlist.
During his address, the prime minister criticized the Greens for their “stubborn, inflexible refusal to compromise” in response to the party’s demand for a guarantee of increased housing expenditure in exchange for backing the Housing Australia Future Fund (Haff).
According to Albanese, the demand for social housing has grown more than three times as quickly as the population. “As part of our commitment to increase the housing supply, we are determined to work with state and territory governments to reverse this decline.”
Each state would get a base of $50 million, with additional money distributed per person. According to him, a breakdown of spending by jurisdiction will be made public soon, and the money will be disbursed within a fortnight.
With the increased spending to be implemented simultaneously with changes to zoning and planning regulations and opening up land for future construction, Albanese claimed he had discussed the new financing with premiers and chief ministers.
Before the national cabinet meeting, we planned for August, “what we’ve asked is for the work to continue exactly how over this two years that the state and territory governments have to acquit this $2bn of expenditure,” he said.
But it will significantly alter the situation. We are aware that tens of thousands of residences will be constructed.
Albanese declared that “100%” of the money would go toward public housing and had to stay in the hands of the government.
He added that the state and territory administrations have agreed that public housing won’t be created and then abandoned.
The Coalition’s opposition and the Greens’ demands for a more aggressive housing agenda have caused The Haff, Labor’s centrepiece housing policy for the 2022 election, to stall in the Senate.
The Greens have criticized the future fund component of the plan because they are concerned that investment variations could result in little to no money being generated for housing expenditures in any given year. For their backing, they initially requested a $5 billion expenditure guarantee and a nationwide rent freeze.
Following Labor’s denial, the Greens cut their requests in half last week. The government responded by promising a $500 million annual expenditure, a concession that was still needed to break the impasse.
Albanese used his address on Saturday in Melbourne to compel the Greens to support the Haff before the Senate’s final session before the winter break.
He also made a considerable jab at the Greens for not earlier supporting the Haff, which enraged the Labor supporters and linked unions in the audience.
“Our government is not going to wait around while members of the Greens political party call for more housing in the media while opposing it in their electorates and voting against it in the parliament,” he declared.
“The Greens believe that their obstinate, rigid refusal to make concessions or engage in negotiation suits their political advantage… They are a protest party. While organizing a petition against every new apartment building, we are happy to make the world our commitment.
Daniel Andrews, the premier of Victoria, welcomed the cash, saying it will enable the government to expedite its maintenance programs for public housing, construct new homes, and spot-acquire existing properties.
The premier told reporters, “We now have a prime minister who understands where Victoria is and a government that knows what public housing is, so all these choices are available to us.
With a new pitch for support for the referendum on Indigenous voices, Albanese began his speech. Following declining support in some polls and inquiries about the strength of the campaign from both government officials and pro-voice advocates, the referendum has been under more and more scrutiny recently.
Albanese stated in his address that he was “optimistic” the vote would pass, noting the backing of all premiers and chief ministers, the trade union movement, religious organizations, big industry, and significant athletic codes.
“We may agree to acknowledge and honour the entire 65,000 years of our past. We have the power to accept changes that will help bridge gaps and enhance lives. We can vote in favour of a stronger, more just, atoning, and united Australia.
