Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather became emotional as he spoke about how the housing crisis is affecting his generation after being accused of “letting down young voters” by capitulating to the Labor Party.
Chandler-Mather, 32, was questioned by interviewer Sarah Ferguson on Monday night’s episode of the ABC’s 7.30 Report about whether the Greens, by agreeing to pass two Labor housing bills, had failed the party’s younger voter base.
“Every time we don’t solve the housing crisis, I feel like I’ve let them down a little bit,” said an emotional Chandler-Mather.
‘My first generation will probably be worse off than our parents. I’m deeply sorry.
Mr Chandler-Mather’s voice shook as he revealed that he had “friends who have been kicked out of their homes because they can’t pay the rent or have given up on being able to buy a house”.
And it actually hurts me a lot to see that. I find it very difficult,’ he said.
The Greens delayed the Albanese government’s Help to Buy and Build to Rent bills for months, pushing for changes to tax concessions for property investors and limits on rent increases.
However, they ultimately supported the bills even though these demands were not met.
Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather became emotional when talking about the housing prospects of his generation.
Ferguson pressed Chandler-Mather, the Greens’ housing spokesperson, on whether the minor party had dropped the demands because it feared an electoral backlash for not supporting the bills.
Chandler-Mather, who has always been a thorn in Albanese’s side, denied it.
“There comes a point where you realize you’ve pushed as hard as you can,” he said.
“What we have decided is to pass these two bills and take this fight to the next election.”
Although the Greens won no concessions, Chandler-Mahler said they put pressure on Labor to challenge negative gearing, the tax break property investors get for rental properties that many say depletes housing for first-time buyers.
“We were also close to the negative change that policy cost and that would have been the most positive genuine change to housing policy in generations in Australia,” he said.
Albanese and the Labor Party have previously accused Chandler-Mather of stirring up outrage over housing to further her own political ambitions.
Mr Albanese referred to the member of Griffith’s inner-Brisbane seat and rent control campaigner as “a joke”.
Meanwhile, other senior members of the Labor Party have described him as a “self-indulgent political student”, an “imbecile” and “selfish”.
Photos captured on the House floor after a particularly heated confrontation in 2023 show Albanese’s disdain for his political rival.
Chandler-Mather has proven to be a thorn in the side of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Albanese and the Labor Party have accused Chandler-Mather of stirring up outrage over housing to further her own political ambitions.
Housing Minister Clare O’Neil has welcomed the end of the political deadlock over housing reforms.
“I’m glad (the Greens) have finally seen the light,” he said on Monday.
“But that doesn’t excuse the fact that they have been playing politics on housing for two and a half years, and the net effect of the Greens in this term is to delay action on housing.”
The proposed Help to Buy scheme would see the government contribute 30 per cent of the purchase price of a home or 40 per cent for a new build for those earning less than $90,000 for a single applicant or $120,000 for a couple.
The government’s participation reduces the cost for the homebuyer, although it must be reimbursed at the time of sale.
Under the Build to Rent bill, tax concessions would encourage the construction of rental properties.
Last year, the Greens secured an additional $3 billion in social housing investment in negotiations for Australia’s Future Housing Fund.