2024-09-12
Today, at the ACTCOSS Candidate Forum, the ACT Greens call on the community to vote for faster and further action to tackle rising inequality and make Canberra a fairer city.
“Housing is a human right and the foundation to living a life with dignity. Everybody should have a secure home,” said Deputy Leader of the ACT Greens, Rebecca Vassarotti.
“Right now more people than ever are struggling to put a roof over their head. Our housing system is cooked from Labor and the Liberals enforcing policies that treat homes as a lucrative investment, not a human right.
“The private market has failed Canberra and the only way to fix the housing crisis is for the government to step in, take action and make real change.
“Any political party that wants to credibly tackle the housing crisis in this election must present a bold, transformative and holistic plan to genuinely make homes a human right.
“The two old parties are trying to turn this election into a debate about stadiums, rather than tackling the crippling inequality crisis that is pushing more and more Canberrans into poverty.
“The ACT Greens are the only party with a plan to put people first. We have announced fully-costed plans to build and buy 10,000 more public homes, to freeze rent increases and improve renters rights, to legislate responsibility to end homelessness and our pathway to meet that, and to establish a public retirement village.
“We can make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring. We can deliver enough homes for everyone in need. We can make rentals more accessible and affordable for people to call home. All this is possible if you vote for it next month.”
The ACT Greens have announced a plan to properly fund the ACT’s community sector and treat them as equal partners to support everyone when and where they need it.
ACT Greens MLA Emma Davidson said wrap-around support, in addition to housing, ensures everyone can live well in Canberra.
“Not only will the ACT Greens ensure everyone has the right to a safe, secure home, but we will also lift up the community services sector to deliver the wrap-around support that people need to live their best life in the ACT,” Ms Davidson said.
“Our community sector is the first place we go when we face hardship or need help. They understand the experiences and needs of the most at-risk people in our community and provide support for people in ways that are fundamentally different to our government services.
“But in a housing crisis, a climate crisis and a cost of living crisis, the community sector is facing more demand on their services without the proper resourcing from the government to help those most in need.
“That’s why the ACT Greens have a plan that goes further and faster to make this city a fairer place to live. Our plan ensures the community sector is properly funded and genuinely respects them as an equal partner to give Canberrans the best life possible.”
The ACT Greens will:
- Provide short-term financial support for community sector organisations while we determine longer term secure funding arrangements
- Ensure employee pay and conditions are comparable to similar work in the private sector and public service
- Provide short-term financial support for organisations while we determine longer term secure funding arrangements
- Provide funding in the event of climate emergencies or natural disasters
- Invest further in the Sector Sustainability program and co-design more services
- Establish and implement a 10 year refurbishment strategy for ACT Government owned buildings leased to the community sector
- Establish the Office of the Coordinator General for Community Sector Partnerships to strengthen relationships between Government and the sector
The policy is available on the ACT Greens website.