Australia politics live: housing policy ‘rare opportunity’ for Greens to use their leverage to push Labor, Chandler-Mather says | Australian politics

Greens accused of ‘rank hypocisy’ on housing

At the Sydney press conference called as part of the government’s housing legislation push, housing minister Clare O’Neil says:

With the Greens, we have to call this what it is, absolute rank hypocrisy. For two years the Greens have run around the country, crying crocodile tears for people who can’t get into home ownership, when they have a chance to do something about it, work with the Labor government, they’re going to say no.

This attitude of politics first, second, and third is not the way for us to help deal with this crisis facing our country. What we need is for once the Greens and the Liberals to put politics to the side and help us make progress on the aspiration Australians have to own their own home.

So to recap on the housing bills stuck in the senate – they remain stuck.

The Greens Max Chandler-Mather says the government has given “literally nothing” when it comes to negotiating on the help-to-buy shared equity scheme and the build-to-rent development incentives, and so the Greens are not moving.

The coalition said no, pretty much from the outset and so it isn’t moving.

That leaves the government with limited moves – it can put the bills up for debate and see them voted down. It can negotiate with the Greens and enter in some uncomfortable areas (for Labor) on negative hearing and capital gains tax. Or it can withdraw the bills and blame the senate crossbench for not getting its housing agenda (including a key election campaign policy) up before the next election.

Shared equity not the right approach to housing crisis, Birmingham says

On the help to buy shared equity scheme stuck in the Senate, Simon Birmingham says:

Our position on this has been clear since before the last election. We’ve always thought that the idea that the Albanese government should co-own somebody’s home with them was not the right approach to solve home ownership challenges in Australia. There are fundamental challenges that need to be met in terms of increasing supply, dealing with population pressures to help with that.

And indeed, we have an alternative policy that has equally been out for a long time, enabling Australians to have their own superannuation fund co-owned part of their home with them. It’s a much better way for them to be in total control of home ownership, rather than having the government as a co-owner.

Shared equity schemes have existed in some jurisdictions for years. The government takes a portion of the equity of the home, repayable upon sale, in return for providing a portion of the purchasing cost.

Birmingham wants government to vote down Palestinian Authority’s draft UN resolution

The Palestinian Authority has drafted a United Nations resolution calling for Israel to withdraw from Gaza and the West Bank, as well as calling for sanctions against Israel.

The UN general assembly will resume its 10th emergency special session on “Illegal Israeli actions in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory”. As part of that meeting, the draft resolution tabled by the Palestinian Authority will be voted on.

Simon Birmingham wants the government to vote no. The Liberal senator told Sky News:

Well, this motion is not specific to a ceasefire. It is a motion that would be deeply counterproductive to long-term peace efforts. And it’s an entirely one-sided motion that makes no mention at all of Hamas of the horrors and atrocities committed back on October 7th last year, or of the hostages who have now continued to be held for almost a year. So, with such a counterproductive and one-sided motion.

The decision for the Albanese government should be clearcut. That should be to oppose it, to stand with friends and allies, and to continue to support longstanding bipartisan policy in Australia about how we ultimately negotiate a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinian people.

For the latest on what is happening in Gaza, you can head here:

Pocock continues push for banks to take more responsibility over scams

Independent ACT senator David Pocock will hold a press conference later this morning with financial scam victims as he continues his push to have the government force banks to take more responsibility for not identifying scams, or transferring money in suspect cases.

Chandler-Mather says Greens have ‘rare opportunity’ to use leverage to push Labor on housing bills

Chandler-Mather says property prices would be pushed up by Labor’s housing scheme

Asked his thoughts on the other housing bill – the shared equity help to buy scheme – Max Chandler-Mather said:

It’s deeply cruel for the government to hold this out as some sort of solution to the housing crisis. Roughly 5 million people would be eligible for this scheme, meaning 99.2% of people would be denied access.

For those people, close to 5 million renters, house prices would be pushed up by the scheme because it puts more cash in people’s pockets to bid up the price of housing.

What we need to do – you’re right, we can’t fix this crisis overnight but a substantial action the government could take is stop giving billions of dollars in tax handouts to property owners. How is it fair that in a crisis, when banks are making billions of profits and renters are sometimes close to eviction that the government is going to give property investors $176bn in tax handouts through negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount.

That, frankly means, you know, when you go to an auction and you’re trying to buy your first home and a property investor bids $200,000 above you, they do that because they have access to negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount.

Greens ‘willing to negotiate’ on Labor’s housing bills

Max Chandler-Mather says the government has offered “literally nothing” in negotiations:

It is genuinely shocking, right? Because this is the worst housing crisis we’ve faced in generations and it’s clear that the prime minister and Labor have decided they’d prefer to let their own bill fail and have a political fight with the Greens. But let me tell you the only losers out of that fight will be the single mums choosing between feeding kids or paying the rent because Labor won’t move on capping rent increases or building public housing or phasing out the tax handouts for property investors.

He said last year the Greens and government were able to negotiate on the housing Australia future fund (also known as the Haff) which led to more social housing being secured:

We’re willing to negotiate but we won’t just rubber-stamp two bills that will drive up house prices and rents.

Look, back when Gough Whitlam was around, you had governments willing to make university education free, build hundreds of thousands of good-quality public homes, introduce the precursor to Medicare. Why should we accept now in the middle of the worst housing crisis in generations, a government that will do worse than tinkering around the edges rather than taking the action that people desperately need to make their lives livable?

‘Want to help renters? Cap rent increases’: Greens

A little earlier this morning, the Greens housing spokesperson, Max Chandler-Mather, spoke to ABC TV about why the Greens were not in favour of the government’s build to rent legislation:

What this scheme will do is deny 99.8% of renters access to it every year and drive up house prices for them by flooding the private housing market with more cash. Look, we’ve seen Labor and Liberals peddle schemes like this again and again, whether it’s the first home buyers’ grant. They clearly don’t work.

We’re in a massive housing crisis. It failed in New South Wales and we want to negotiate a plan that actually helps the millions of people getting smashed by this housing crisis. If you want to help people buy a home, phase out negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount.

That’s the $176bn of tax handouts that go to property investors that deny millions of renters the chance to buy a home.

Want to help renters? Cap rent increases. It’s not fair that a landlord can put up the rent by as much as he or she wants at the end of every lease. Those are the things that are screwing over the millions of people in Australia right now, being smashed by this housing crisis.

We’ve said to Labor as well if you want to help people on the lower-income spectrum, start building public housing again the way governments used to and get people into genuinely affordable homes. It’s possible for the government to do all of these things we recognise we won’t get everything in our negotiation but right now they’ve offered nothing, literally no counter-offer and this is frustrating in a serious housing crisis.

Pocock continues to push for total ban on gambling ads

Independent ACT senator David Pocock is still pushing the government to go further on its gambling ad proposal:

The key surprises in the NSW local election results

How did the NSW local government elections play out?

You can have a look at the fallout from the results – and what lessons the major parties are looking at, here:

Advocates hopeful menopause report sparks change

Advocates hope a landmark report into the impacts of menopause will spark much needed conversations around the condition and lead to meaningful change, AAP reports:

The Senate is handing down its inquiry report into the economic, physical, mental and financial impacts of menopause and perimenopause on Tuesday.

Menopause occurs between the ages of 45 to 60, and perimenopause – which precedes it – can last for up to 10 years and begin in women aged in their 30s.

Those with the condition can face mild to severe symptoms such as tiredness, aches and pains, menstrual changes, a racing heart, difficulty sleeping, increased irritability and depression.

Advocates hope the inquiry can kickstart crucial conversations and quell the stigma associated with the condition to help women suffering in silence.

Three in four women will experience a mild to moderate menopause, but one-in-four will experience a severe menopause, Menopause Friendly Australia chief executive, Grace Molloy, said.

“Most people don’t understand what menopause is until it hits them in the face, and many struggle to get support if they are experiencing and wanting that support.”

Anthony Albanese, Tanya Plibersek and Clare O’Neil will “meet a new homeowner” in Sydney this morning, as part of the “pass the housing bills” tour. A press conference will follow.