The ACT Greens have called on the Albanese Federal Labor Government to use tomorrow’s budget to fix the housing crisis.

“In a housing crisis, governments need to be doing everything they can to bring more affordable, public homes into the territory,” said the party’s deputy leader, Rebecca Vassarotti, ACT Minister for Homelessness and Housing Services.

“In the ACT we need direct investment in public housing, and ACT Labor should be pushing their federal counterparts to make it happen.

“Right now, the system set up by the Federal Government is stacked against people in Canberra, making it incredibly difficult for us to build more affordable homes, more quickly.

“The ACT Government is stuck repaying a historical housing debt of $82 million to the Federal Government, but the Greens want to reinvest that money cent for cent to build more comfortable, affordable, and accessible public housing. 

“To put it into perspective, the Federal Government is paying $368 billion for nuclear submarines, but they refuse to waive $82 million we could be using to give Canberrans a safe place to sleep.

“Canberrans are right to feel let down by Labor, who have the power to waive this debt, as they’ve done in Tasmania and South Australia.”

The ACT Greens also want the Federal Government to fix the “rigged” tax system “which prioritises the rich over everyday people”, and instead become a partner in the Greens’ plan to build and buy 10,000 public homes over ten years (an election policy announced last month).

“Tax handouts for big property investors, like negative gearing, make it easier for a big property investor to buy their seventh property than for a first home buyer to buy their first home,” Ms Vassarotti sai.

“To stop pushing up house prices and make homes affordable for first home buyers, the ACT Greens will push for the Federal Government to limit negative gearing and capital gains tax handouts.”

“We will pressure the Federal Government to invest part of the money it makes from scrapping handouts to property investors towards our ambitious and achievable plan to build and buy 10,000 public homes in Canberra.”