Housing Minister Julie Collins has warned the Greens not to betray Australians who need affordable housing.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
It has been in a stand-off with the Greens who have demanded Labor commit to $2.5 billion on social and affordable housing per year,and $1 billion for a rent freeze in return for its support of the housing bill.
The Greens last weekhalved their demands in dollar terms,but it is still a long way from Labor’s position,in which a maximum of $500 million in annual earnings would be used to build 30,000 homes.
The government has ruled out moving on the demand for a rent freeze,which would have to be enacted by states and territories,and it hasn’t met the Greens’ demand of an additional $3.5 billion a year for social and affordable housing.
The government has given ground to the Greens in negotiations in recent days ahead of listing the housing bill as the first matter for debate in the Senate this week.
And it will highlight budget figures on Sunday showing it will spend more than $8 billion on housing and homelessness in 2023-24 in an attempt to hit back at the Greens who have demanded Labor significantly increase its spending on social housing.
Housing Minister Julie Collins said opposing the construction of 30,000 new homes would be a “betrayal of Australians who need a safe and affordable place to call home”.