Responding to today’s release of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) Annual Report on homelessness services NSW Greens spokesperson on Housing, Jenny Leong MP and Australian Greens spokesperson on Housing, Senator Lee Rhiannon have called for an urgent commitment to a housing first approach by state and federal governments.

State government plans to allow five more local councils to access Sepp 70 provisions is welcome news but needs broadening, says NSW Greens spokesperson on Housing, Jenny Leong MP and NSW Greens Local Government spokesperson, David Shoebridge MP.

Jenny Leong MP said:

“We welcome to move to increase the number of councils able to access these affordable housing provisions, but given the level of the housing crisis we can’t just be tinkering at the edges.

“This year the Greens gave notice of a bill that would allow all councils access to affordable housing provisions under Sepp 70 not just a select few.

“The greens are committed to targets which will really start to make housing affordable again and that means at least 30% affordable housing in new dwellings.

With today’s release of the latest Rental Affordability Index, NSW Greens Housing spokesperson Jenny Leong MP, called for an urgent response from the government to the rental crisis.

“This latest report again confirms that we are experiencing an alarming crisis in housing which has to be addressed by the Liberal National NSW government. 

The Greens today opposed the Berejiklian Government's bill to give a massive tax handout to developers, and to instead put the revenue into public housing. Read her speech below:

Greens NSW Housing Spokesperson Jenny Leong MP has committed to stand up for the one third of people in NSW who rent and work to put an end to  mass eviction threats by billionaire developers like Harry Triguboff.

"People are already living with such fear and insecurity as a result of the current rental housing crisis - it's not just arrogant it's shockingly irresponsible for anyone to threaten mass evictions as Mr Triguboff has done."

Responding to a welcome change in policy by the NSW Labor Opposition today, NSW Greens Rental and Tenancy spokesperson has renewed calls for the Government to put an end to no grounds evictions as a priority.

"We know that with holiday season fast approaching that thousands of families will be evicted from their rental home so that greedy landlords can cash in over the holiday period," Ms Leong said.

The August session of parliament was a busy one.  We thought to share some of the things that happened: 

-> Spoke against the new Bill which will give police powers to remove homeless people from Martin Place. The Government should be addressing the housing crisis not introducing laws to move on the  homeless.

Today in National Homelessness Week the Liberal National government rushed through legislation that will allow police to remove homeless people from Martin Place, seize and destroy their belongings and break up non-“authorised” protests within the CBD.

This is a heartless response from a heartless government that would rather see homeless people disappear than take action. The Greens condemn the Liberal National government’s actions. 

Today the Berejiklian Government introduced new legislation to push homeless people out of the sight of Parliament. The Greens strongly opposed this heartless and heavy-handed police powers response to this social problem. 

The Liberal National government has used National Homeless Week to announce legal changes to empower the police to evict the homeless, and some of the most disadvantaged in our communities, from public land in the City of Sydney.

The Greens believe that having access to a safe and permanent home is a fundamental human right. The parliament has a responsibility not to enact laws to facilitate harassment of homeless people, but to help them by providing permanent housing and to ensure those at risk of homelessness get the support they need.