Labor failed to secure a Senate vote yesterday on a key housing policy after almost all non-government senators blocked a motion that would have allowed one, with a minister accusing them of forming an “unbelievable alliance”. Source: SBS News.
The Albanese Government’s Senate leader Penny Wong had moved to suspend standing orders to bring the Help to Buy scheme to a vote.
That motion was defeated 38-21, with all non-government senators besides independents Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock voting against it.
Immediately after the motion was defeated, Cabinet minister Murray Watt accused the Greens of letting “perfect be the enemy of the good”.
“Voting not just with Peter Dutton and the Coalition, but also [Pauline] Hanson and One Nation,” he said.
Senator Watt added that the “extreme right and extreme left” of Australian politics had paired up to “stop young people from being able to buy a home”.
After his senators helped shoot down the motion, Greens leader Adam Bandt said he wanted the Government to negotiate and stop “bulldozing”.
The Greens are critical of the Help to Buy scheme, which they claim will drive up house prices, and the Built to Rent scheme which is also stalled in the Senate. They claim the latter will give unfair tax breaks to developers.
“We would like to see the parliament take action on the housing and rental crisis … there are things the Government can do right now to help,” Mr Bandt said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told ABC Sydney the Greens’ claims the Help to Buy scheme would increase house prices were “nonsense” and urged the party to “get on with it”.
Earlier yesterday, Mr Albanese refused to rule out a double dissolution election if his government was unable to pass its Help to Buy and Build to Rent schemes, as well as a separate environment law overhaul, unamended.
A double dissolution election dissolves both chambers of Parliament, meaning all members would be up for election instead of half of the Senate usually up at an ordinary election — the next of which is due in May 2025.
FULL STORY
‘Get on with it’: Labor’s anger as senators team up to block Help to Buy scheme vote (By Ewa Staszewska, AAP via SBS News)
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese threatens double dissolution amid housing legislation fight (News.com.au)
