Rental crisis opens door for Greens in inner-city seats
Dominic Giannini |
The Greens will use housing and rental affordability to boost its prospects in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney at the next election.
Leader Adam Bandt said he would position the progressive party – which went from one to four MPs in the lower house at last year’s election – as the champion of renters.
“More and more people are spending hours in line to simply view a rental property. Rents are rising six times faster than wages. People are being encouraged to bid higher than the advertised rates,” he said.
“We will make rent a political issue. We are the only party that has a plan for renters’ rights.”
The target seats include Moreton in Brisbane after picking up three seats in the city in 2022, Cowper and Richmond on NSW’s northern coast and Wills, Cooper and McNamara in Melbourne.
The latest Newspoll has the Greens’ national primary vote at 11 per cent, with a recent Resolve poll putting support at 12 per cent.
Mr Bandt didn’t bite on whether he would push for federal cabinet positions for his party if they held the balance of power in the lower house after the next election, due between August 2024 and May 2025.
“The primary goal is not getting shoes under the cabinet table,” he said.
“We’re going to push the government for action on renters. That’s our priority.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was farcical the Greens would push for more affordable housing, but hold out on supporting the government’s signature housing fund.
“It makes me wonder what the Greens party’s political and thought processes are,” he said.
“They’re entitled to vote whatever way they want but they will be held to account for it and any of their rhetoric about housing issues will be regarded as just farcical if they vote against this fund.”
But the Greens are arguing the $10 billion fund will barely put a dent in the dwelling deficit, given the investment fund would only put up to $500 million in profits a year towards affordable and social housing.
AAP
