Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Since Labor came to power about two years ago, rents in Australia have increased by 30 per cent on average. Since Labor came to power about two years ago, mortgages have increased by an average of over $1,600 a month. More and more people are experiencing housing stress, and yet, instead of the big, bold, reformist approach proposed by the Australian Greens to respond to this massive social crisis, we're getting tinkering at the margins. What we are getting from Labor is, frankly, a pathetic response given the scale of the crisis. A centrepiece of that response is the Help to Buy scheme, which is basically a lottery that would help 0.2 per cent of renters and put house prices up for the other 99.8 per cent.

Debate interrupted.