PM goes after Greens MP over big problem

• Anthony Albanese attacks Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather
• Mr Chandler-Mather’s TikToks about housing irritate govt 

 Anthony Albanese has taken aim at a Greens MP behind a popular TikTok account for blocking Labor’s $10 billion housing fund while opposing new developments in his electorate, saying the party ‘can’t have it both ways’.

 Mr Albanese on Tuesday criticised Greens housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather for his attacks on proposed new housing developments in Queensland’s capital.

Mr Chandler-Mather, who is the member for the inner Brisbane seat of Griffith, has launched a relentless series of attacks on the Labor government over its housing policies – including rental assistance – on social media, raking in thousands of views. 

Mr Chandler-Mather has utilised TikTok to reach a younger audience, many of whom would be directly impacted by the lack of affordable housing in Australia.

His clips attract hundreds of thousands of views and interactions, breaking down how Labor is spending taxpayer dollars and answering questions in real time about the biggest political stories of the day. 

But the Prime Minister said Mr Chandler-Mather is also directly opposing the development of more homes in his own electorate, which he says is also making life harder for constituents. 

‘One of the things I find remarkable is at the same time as the Greens are blocking additional support for social housing, they’re also running petitions of their housing spokesperson to block… development of more housing supply in Brisbane, ‘ Mr Albanese said. 

‘You can’t have it both ways.’

Mr Chandler-Mather has joined community residents in opposing proposals to build new apartment buildings, including the Bulimba Barracks site, where three-to-five storey towers are proposed. 

‘Luxury apartment towers makes the housing crisis worse,’ he wrote on Twitter.

‘My suggestion to Labor hacks is focus your advocacy on stopping Labor outsourcing its entire housing policy to property developers and banks.’

Labor’s Housing Australia Future Fund aims to build 30,000 social and affordable homes over five years, including 4,000 dwellings for women and children experiencing domestic violence.

The government’s efforts to bring on a vote for its signature election policy were defeated by the Greens and the coalition in the Senate last week.

Asked about reports Labor was facing an internal push to limit negative gearing at the party’s national conference in August, Mr Albanese ruled out any changes.

‘The government’s position is very clear and it’s a position for which we received a mandate at the 2022 election and I’m someone who keeps the commitments that we made,’ he said.

The 49th ALP national conference will be the first to be held face-to-face in five years.

Why the Greens are opposing Labor’s housing bill 

Under the proposed policy, Labor would invest $10billion and all returns – up to $500 million per year – would be spent on building the new properties.

In its current form, Greens housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather describes the bill as a ‘gamble on the stock market’ that his party is not willing to take, noting the Future Fund lost 1.2 per cent in 2022.

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‘If Labor had invested the $10 billion already, $120 million would have been lost, with no profits generated to build a single home,’ Mr Chandler-Mather said.

Mr Albanese’s proposal would see 20,000 social housing properties built within the first five years of the scheme – 4,000 of which would be allocated specifically for women and children fleeing domestic violence.

Older women who are at risk of homelessness would also receive special consideration, while 10,000 affordable housing properties would be made available to frontline workers.