The Greens have held out an olive branch to the federal government over the stalled Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) bill offering to halve their demands and pass the bill if the Labor will take an immediate interim freeze on rent increases and provide billions in funding for public, community, and affordable housing.
The $10 billion fund (US$6.7 billion) is the federal government’s response to the lack of social and affordable housing across the country, with the government hoping the legislation will allow the building of 30,000 homes over five years.
Under the proposed legislation, the fund will stay in perpetuity, and each year, the government will use its returns to invest in housing across Australia. However, the return amount that can be withdrawn from the fund is capped at $500 million annually….