Bob Day (SA, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Leyonhjelm, Back, Canavan, Williams, Bernardi, Madigan, O'Sullivan and McKenzie, move:

That the Senate—

(a) questions the restriction of land for new housing and subsequent pricing policies by state and territory land management agencies; and

(b) highlights the constraints on land supply which are the principal causes of worsening housing affordability.

Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The opposition cannot support the motion before the chamber. Labor recognises that timely and planned release of land for housing improves housing affordability. However, the issue of land release is but one element of a complex array of issues that affect the affordability of housing. Labor commends to movers of the motion the Senate Economics References Committee report Out of reach? The Australia affordable housing challenge.

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is the second time that a motion to this effect has been brought forward by Senator Day and colleagues. The Greens do not have any objection to questions around restriction of land for housing development, although I would like to see a critique of whether the movers of this motion assume that should all be on the urban fringe or whether there is room for an intelligent conversation about infill along public transport corridors. What we do object to, and why the Greens will not be supporting this motion, is that asserting that the constraints on land supply are the principal cause of worsening housing affordability dramatically oversimplifies an incredibly complex problem. The report the Senator McLucas just referred you to is a 496-page report with 40 recommendations. We heard from more than a hundred witnesses, including the HIA and the housing industry, as well as many others, mentioning the tax treatment both state and federal, population growth, building codes, the labour market. It is complex. Please stop trying to oversimplify housing affordability. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Day be agreed to.

The Senate divided. [15:49]

(The President—Senator Parry)