Just recently, under enormous pressure from the Greens, Labor backflipped and agreed to $2 billion of direct funding for social housing, starting immediately. 

The Greens have also secured the country’s first ever national inquiry into the rental crisis which will force Labor to consider the worsening housing crisis for renters in Australia.

Far too often the voices of renters are silenced in the national debate about housing, but for the next few months parliament will be forced to hear from thousands of renters across the country about their experience of unfair rent increases and shocking treatment at the hands of a system that treats them like second class citizens. 

The Greens will keep negotiating on the Housing Australia Future Fund which will be coming before the senate in September. As it stands Labor's Housing Plan will see the crisis get worse because it does nothing for renters and doesn’t guarantee any spending until 2024/25. We are asking for $2.5 billion per year for public and affordable housing and $1 billion per year for a freeze on rent increases. This is less than the government’s surplus or less than 10% of what they’re spending on the Stage 3 tax cuts for the super wealthy. The only thing standing in the way here is Labor.

A rent freeze and a limit on rent increases is not only possible, it’s urgently necessary. It’s necessary for the millions of renters across the country staring down the barrel of another massive rent increase. Real protections for renters are urgently needed to ensure people can stay in their homes and so we prevent the worst homelessness crisis we’ve ever seen. 

We know what the solutions are, we just need to force Labor to act. If they can find $30 billion a year for stage 3 tax cuts and $12 billion a year for nuclear subs, then they can afford to tackle the housing crisis and ensure that everyone has a home. 

We’re not here to rubber stamp legislation that will make the housing crisis worse. We’re here to fight for action. 

Together we can tackle this crisis and ensure everyone has a safe place to call home.