Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) housing is a human right and everyone deserves a home,

  (ii) the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated how broken our housing system is, with decades of marketisation leading to extraordinarily unfair and inhumane housing outcomes for the community, and

  (iii) we must ensure a home for all during and after this crisis;

(b) calls on the National Cabinet to take leadership and put in place:

  (i) rental holidays and waivers for rent arrears, with increased support to prevent rental debts down the track,

  (ii) a national freeze on rent rises now and after the pandemic, and

  (iii) mortgage relief with no interest accrual, a ban on foreclosures and a freeze on owners' credit ratings;

(c) calls on the Federal Government to increase funding for emergency housing now and beyond this crisis; and

(d) calls on the Federal Government to include construction of 500,000 new public and community homes in Australia's economic stimulus, to create jobs and provide homes to people.

Question negatived.

by leave—I ask that the votes be noted.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So, that the Greens were in support of that motion, in lieu of calling a division?

Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, and people who weren't and the rest of the chamber.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Faruqi, you can have your vote recorded. The motion was not carried. I can't define others, because they may not all be present in the chamber. Your position is recorded in favour and the majority of the chamber was against.