Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather became emotional as he spoke about how the housing crisis is impacting his generation after being accused of ‘letting down young voters’ by capitulating to Labor.
Mr Chandler-Mather, 32, was questioned by interviewer Sarah Ferguson on Monday night’s episode of ABC’s 7.30 Report about whether the Greens, by agreeing to pass two Labor housing bills, had failed the party’s base of younger voters.
‘Everyday we don’t solve the housing crisis I feel like I have let them down a little bit,’ an emotional Mr Chandler-Mather said.
‘My generation for the first time are probably going to be worse off than our parents. I feel that acutely.’
Mr Chandler-Mather’s voice wavered as revealed he had ‘friends who have been kicked out of their homes because they can’t afford the rent or have given up on ever being able to buy a home’.
‘And it hurts me a lot, actually, to see that. I find it really hard,’ he said.
The Greens delayed the Albanese government’s Help to Buy and Build-to-Rent bills for months, pushing for changes to property investor tax concessions and rent rise caps.
However, they ultimately supported the bills despite these demands not being met.
Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather grew emotional talking about his generation’s housing prospects.
Ferguson pressed Mr Chandler-Mather, who is the Greens spokesperson on housing, whether the minor party had dropped the demands because they feared electoral backlash for not supporting the Bills.
Mr Chandler-Mather, who has been a consistent thorn in Mr Albanese’s side, denied this.
‘There comes a point when you realise you have pushed as hard as you can,’ he said.
‘What we have decided is to pass these two Bills and take this fight to the next election.’
Although the Greens secured no concessions, Mr Chandler-Mahler said they pressured Labor into questioning negative gearing, the tax break housing investors get for rental properties that many argue dries up homes for first-time buyers.
‘We also got close on negative gearing they costed that policy and that would have been the most positive genuine shift of housing policy in generations in Australia,’ he said.
Mr Chandler-Mather has proven a thorn in the side of the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Housing Minister Clare O’Neil said the two Bills ‘have now got a really clear passage through the parliament’.
‘I’m glad (the Greens) have finally seen the light,’ she said on Monday.
‘But it doesn’t excuse the fact that they have played politics on housing for two-and-a-half years, and the net effect of the Greens in this term of parliament is to delay action on housing.’
The proposed Help to Buy scheme would see the government to contribute 30 per cent of the purchase price of a home or 40 per cent for a new build for those earning under $90,000 for a single applicant or $120,000 for a couple.
The government share reduces the cost for the homebuyer, although it must be paid back upon sale.
Under the Build to Rent bill tax concessions would encourage the constructing properties for rent.
Last year the Greens were able to secure an extra $3 billion of investment for social housing in negotiations for the Housing Australia Future Fund.
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