2023-06-16
The Victorian Greens have called on the Victorian Labor Government to ensure any reform to the state’s planning laws will require half of all new homes in developments to be public and affordable, along with a statewide rent freeze.
The Greens say this would help solve the state’s housing crisis by significantly boosting our supply of public and affordable housing, and making property developers pay their fair share.
Earlier this year, the Government confirmed it had quietly been preparing major reforms to the state’s planning system.
However, if these reforms end up allowing already powerful property developers to reap massive profits without regulation, it could push up housing prices and make the crisis worse.
That’s why the Greens have written to the Premier and said that if Labor wants their support for any upcoming planning reforms, they must guarantee that one in two new homes will be public and affordable, with controlled rent.
Leader of the Victorian Greens, Samantha Ratnam, said the housing crisis had in part been caused by giving property developers and moguls too much power, pushing the cost of housing through the roof.
She said that in order to tackle the crisis, Victoria needed to build more public and affordable homes, and introduce stronger rent controls, including a two-year rent freeze.
With four MPs in Victoria’s Upper House, the Greens currently hold a shared balance of power and are critical to passing legislation in Parliament.
This year the party has been instrumental in improving and passing legislation, such as the Health Information Sharing Bill and the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre Bill.
Quotes attributable to Leader of the Victorian Greens, Samantha Ratnam MLC:
“We’re in a housing crisis caused by property developers having too much power.
“The only way to fix it is to control rents, and build more public and affordable homes.
“Labor says it’s going to change the planning rules – if they want the Greens’ support, they will need to guarantee that 50 per cent of new homes are public or affordable, and introduce a two-year rent freeze.”