Australian Greens Senator and Spokesperson for Education, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to today’s release of the 2018 Higher Education Accommodation and Financial Stress Survey that shows high levels of student financial and psychological distress.

The survey found:

Australian Greens Housing Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has commented on the latest Anglicare Australia Rental Affordability Snapshot which has found that there is a huge shortage of secure, affordable rentals across the country.

The Australian Greens have a plan to more than double the amount of social housing across Australia by building 500,000 new ecologically sustainable and fully accessible homes, with a net addition of 33,000 dwellings each year. The homes would be funded by scrapping negative gearing and capital gains tax exemptions, as well as redirecting part of the banking levy on major banks.

Hundreds of homes have started to drop off the National Rental Affordability Scheme, NRAS, with the number of homes swelling to thousands next year. This means many vulnerable people, including families on low incomes, will be left without support and will face homelessness. We are facing a cliff in the housing crisis. Social housing hasn't increased since the turn of the century, despite the rise in homelessness and the rising numbers of those in housing stress. Rental support needs to continue. What we really need is a massive federal investment in building new social housing.

Australian Greens Housing Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has described Labor’s housing announcement as tinkering around the edges.

Senator Faruqi is calling on the Labor Opposition to commit to building more public housing stock which will be affordable in the long-term.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Housing in Australia is monumentally messed up. With so many people in need of affordable housing we need radical solutions.

The Australian Senate has today called on the Federal Government to take a national approach to homelessness and to develop a National Homelessness Plan. Australian Greens Housing Spokesperson, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, moved the motion which was cosponsored by Labor and supported by the Centre Alliance, One Nation and Senators Hinch and Storer. The Liberals, Nationals and Katter's Australian Party voted against. The motion is copied below.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (15:48): I, and also on behalf of Senator Cameron, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the latest census shows that, since 2011, homelessness has risen by 14 per cent,

(ii) the number of people sleeping rough, which is the most visible and extreme form of homelessness, has risen by an alarming 20 per cent since 2011,

The Turnbull government's relentless negativity and inability to focus on the issues that Australians care about has not come about because of the dysfunction of the last three days; it has been a hallmark throughout their time in government. No matter who takes the helm of the Liberal-National government, their policies will continue to wreak havoc on the Australian people. Their destructive agenda is one of a government that works for the big end of town at the expense of its people and the environment.

The Greens Treasury spokesperson, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, provides the following comments on the release of HILDAs The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “These survey findings won’t be a surprise for young people but they should be a wake-up call for the Government.

“These figures are catastrophic. No matter how hard young people are working or how much time they are putting into study, the ability of a young person to own their own home is slipping away.

It is time to dismantle the rigged system that privileges investors and landlords over everybody else, said the Leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Richard Di Natale.

“Australia is facing a housing crisis. Everyone needs a home where they can feel secure, live comfortably and be part of the community. But this is becoming increasingly difficult for millions of average Australians.