Government looks to clear legislative logjam in last sitting week of the year

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TRANSCRIPT:
“We want to see these bills get through the Parliament, because there is a housing crisis on foot which is affecting the lives of millions of people.”
That’s Housing Minister Clare O’Neil.
She’s been keen to get Labor’s housing agenda back on track in the last sitting week of the year – possibly the last sitting week before the next federal election.
With many Australians struggling to find a home to rent or buy, Ms O’Neil says more could be done.
“Our Parliament can do more about this, and we want that to happen this week with the passage of these two bills.”
There are two housing bills which will be brought to a vote in the Senate this week.
The first is the Help to Buy legislation, which would see the government lend up to 40 per cent of the cost of a house to eligible buyers to get their foot in the door of the housing market.
 
The second is the Build to Rent bill, which would create a tax concession to incentivise developers to build affordable rentals.
Ms O’Neil says that would help fix the supply issue in the housing market. 
“If we get it right, is going to result in the construction of 10s of 1000s of new rental homes that are desperately needed by Australians.”
But Labor is yet to secure a pathway for the legislation through the Senate.
The coalition won’t support either bill, and the Greens want changes made for their support.
The minor party initially put forward a big list of demands including a national rent freeze, and scrapping of negative gearing and the capital gains tax concession.
Greens leader Adam Bandt says they’ve now watered down their requests.
The party is now seeking funding for around 25,000 more social and affordable homes and an increase to the proportion of dwellings in the Build to Rent scheme that are affordable housing.
“We put we put forward some good faith proposals to the government. Our proposals were based on the government’s own model. It’s not the way that we would have done it.”
But Ms O’Neil says she won’t budge.
“The time for negotiation on this is over. It was six months ago when these bills were first delayed by the Australian Greens.”
 
That has copped criticism from Mr Bandt.
“This is a Labor government that is unprepared to do anything about the housing and rental crisis, and is instead more interested in picking a fight with the Greens in the last week of Parliament.”
 
The housing bills are among 30 pieces of legislation currently stuck in the Senate.
Anything that doesn’t clear the parliament this week might not be looked at again before Australians head to the polls in a federal election, due to be held by May next year.
The government’s aged care reform package has passed – and it’s anticipated changes to new political donation rules will soon pass, too.
The government is now looking for a win on its teen social media ban.
Whilst the coalition said it would support the bill, there have been reports of concerns by some backbenchers about its privacy implications.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has urged the parliament to get it done.
“Let’s seize it. Let’s give children back their childhood. Let’s give parents new peace of mind. Let’s work together. Let’s pass this legislation be through the House of Representatives and the Senate this week, and it will be something we can be very proud of. Here here.”