Max Chandler-Mather (Griffith, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. National polling shows that 74 per cent of Australians support the federal government to work with National Cabinet to coordinate rent caps, while 80 housing, legal and welfare organisations, including Marrickville Legal Centre in your electorate, have signed a letter calling for national renters' rights and rent caps. With rents now rising at their fastest rate in 35 years, will you finally take responsibility, listen to experts and the majority of Australians and coordinate national caps on rents and stronger renters' rights with National Cabinet?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Griffith for his question, which goes to his blocking of the Housing Australia Future Fund and the reason he puts up for that. In this chamber, of course, he speaks about renters, but what he puts in writing is more straightforward. He speaks about the need to continue a national doorknocking campaign. He says:

… this parliamentary conflict helps create the space for a broader campaign in civil society.

He also says—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Griffith on a point of order?

Max Chandler-Mather (Griffith, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I asked about renters, not the Prime Minister reading my Jacobin articles. The point of order is on relevance. We don't need to hear the Prime Minister's talk about my Jacobin articles. We need to hear—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. I just ask all members: if you're using that as a point of order, do not give commentary. Just go straight to the point of order. I'm listening carefully to the Prime Minister in continuation.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For the member for Griffith, I'll give him a big tip: don't put it in writing in an essay if you don't want people to read it and quote it back to you! He went on to say"

Allowing the HAFF to pass would demobilize the growing section of civil society …

That's what he speaks about—all a political campaign.

Now, I understand that renters are doing it tough, but I also understand that, in Australia's federation, the Commonwealth does not control rents. The Commonwealth does not have the capacity, either, to abolish the private rental market. The key to fixing up these issues is supply. That is what we are dealing with, including with $2 billion of additional money we put into social housing, including the measures we put in the budget that will result in between 150,000 and 250,000 additional private rental dwellings being built, including the $2 billion that we have allocated for additional community housing, including the $1.6 billion for the one-year extension of the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement. Commonwealth and state ministers will have a national cabinet meeting next Wednesday. On the agenda next Wednesday is the issue of renters' rights, but what is there is in the context of a practical move—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Griffith has asked his question.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We won't be nationalising private housing in this country. We won't be doing things that make it more difficult rather than less difficult, which is what the member opposite would do if he had his way.

I say to the member: if he is at all fair dinkum, break up this no-alition over there between the Liberals, Nationals, One Nation and the Greens in the other chamber and vote for additional housing. I understand that you never do it in your own local electorate or local community, but at least do it nationally.