Housing keeps door open on double dissolution

Labor plans to reintroduce its stalled Help to Buy bill to parliament next week, expecting it to be rejected again before Christmas and thereby keeping alive the threat of a double dissolution election.

The Federal Government’s housing plans have been frustrated in the Senate by the Coalition teaming up with the Greens last month to delay a vote on the legislation, which Labor has interpreted as a rejection of its bill.

A second rejection in December would give the government a trigger to ask the governor-general to dissolve both Houses of Parliament and send every federal MP and senator to an election.

Region understands that the government wants to keep the double dissolution threat alive, and while the agreed logic is that it won’t actually happen, Labor is covering all bases.

It is not a completely idle threat, and while no one in government really wants to put the country – and themselves – through another double-dissolution election, Labor is becoming increasingly frustrated at its agenda being stonewalled.

Double dissolution scenarios are being discussed and workshopped at the highest levels.

As one senior government figure put it: “It’s a very real proposition.”

The government’s impatience is evident in media appearances where ministers are expressing their angst at the Senate delay.

Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman lashed out at the Greens during a commercial radio interview on Tuesday (1 October).

“Last month, Adam Bandt told his senators to vote against a policy called Help to Buy,” Mr Gorman said.

“Now, Help to Buy is a really important policy because [it’s] about helping more people get shared equity home loans so they can buy their first house.”

Anthony Albanese is pushing the same message.

“Adam Bandt is busy opposing everything that Labor does,” the Prime Minister said.

“You have the Greens and the Coalition combining in the Senate to oppose measures like Help to Buy and other legislation.

“I don’t think anyone votes Greens to help Peter Dutton, but that is what’s going on. They’re the blockers. We’re the builders.”

Housing Minister Clare O’Neil asked why anyone in the Federal Parliament would stand in the path of someone like “an aged care worker” getting access to secure, affordable housing.

“We’re running out of time here,” she told the ABC.

“We’re going to have an election in the not-too-distant future, and if the Greens and the Liberals continue to delay this legislation, thousands of Australians will miss out on owning their own home … We do need a circuit breaker here.

“The Prime Minister has left that really open and it’s a serious proposition because we’re serious about addressing the housing crisis. We have stepped into the housing problem in a way that we haven’t seen the Commonwealth government do for many decades, but the Greens and the Liberals are doing everything they can to stop us making progress.”

For their part, the Greens say they are waiting for the government to come back to the negotiating table.

The Greens want action on negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions and the introduction of rent caps in exchange for their support on the bill.

The Coalition has flat-out rejected Labor’s scheme altogether.

Meanwhile, the government has opened a $100 million grant round for the Crisis and Transitional Accommodation Program to help house more women and children experiencing domestic violence or homelessness.

“Women and children escaping domestic violence deserve a safe place to call home,” Ms O’Neil said.

“More homes for women escaping domestic violence can be the difference between being stuck or being empowered and able to leave a situation of domestic or family violence.

“We’re building on our more than a billion dollar investment in crisis and transitional accommodation by opening a $100 million funding round that will help hundreds more women and children find a safe place to call home.

“This is part of our ambitious housing agenda, where we are delivering the largest investment in social and affordable housing in more than a decade.”