Housing crisis: Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather clashes with Labor over Albanese's plan to build homes

Anthony Albanese’s proposed reforms to boost supply in Australia’s housing market has hit another snag, with a Labor MP describing the Greens’ proposed amendments as ‘absolute drivel’ in a savage Twitter takedown. 

At the last election the Prime Minister’s promised to the Australian public he would assign $10 billion to a fund to build 30,000 homes nationwide. That money would be invested and all returns – up to $500 million per year – would be spent on building the new properties. 

The primary concern from both Greens and independents is that the bill does not go far enough to ease pressures on the exploding housing market.

Greens housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather confirmed this week that his party will not support the proposal as is. 

He criticised the ‘morally repugnant’ suggestion that his party would somehow be blamed if social housing wasn’t built as a result.

‘With organisations and political parties from across the political spectrum all lining up to criticise Labor’s flawed plan and support more investment in public and affordable housing, the Government has a legacy defining choice to make,’ he said.

The Greens are demanding an additional $5 billion per year investment in building new homes, an additional $1 billion for First Nations homes specifically, a freeze on rent hikes and the doubling of rent assistance. 

In its current form, Mr Chandler-Mather describes the bill as a ‘gamble on the stock market’ that his party is not willing to take, noting the Future Fund lost 1.2 per cent in 2022.

Source of data and images: dailymail