Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

This week, we saw the Greens team up with the Liberals, Nationals and One Nation for the second time to block the delivery of more housing across Australia. We've seen this movie before, and there's no plot twist. We know how this horror movie ends: when the Liberals and the Greens join forces to block progressive policy, Australia loses. We all remember when they teamed up to block climate policy in 2009, and we all lived through the near 15 years of needless environmental destruction that followed.

Through their actions this week, the Greens political party have been found out. They don't want action on housing, they want chaos on housing. They want the headlines. They want the division. They want more attention so that they can continue their relentless attacks on a sound progressive government. Until they pass this bill, all of us on this side of the House will join the community housing providers to call them out. Their actions have real consequences. Because the Greens and Liberals have blocked housing, families fleeing domestic violence will suffer. Because the Greens and Liberals have blocked housing, renters across the nation will suffer. And because the Greens and Liberals have blocked more housing, Indigenous Australians will suffer. Instead of playing politics with homes, they're putting retweets ahead of renters. They're valuing headlines over housing affordability. The Greens and Liberals are on a unity ticket here. They have two days to change their minds. Pass this bill.

See this speech in context