‘Help to Buy’ scheme: Labor clashes with Greens over new legislation – as row erupts over property investment

Anthony Albanese has clashed again with young Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather as the national housing crisis returns to the political conversation.

The Prime Minister worked with Agriculture Minister Murray Watt to take down the Greens amid a war of words over the government’s proposed ‘Help to Buy’ legislation.

As Mr Albanese and Greens spokesman Mr Chandler-Mather reignited their long-standing feud in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Mr Watt reminded Australians of the party’s hypocrisy in the Senate.

“I’m not surprised that Mr Dutton and the coalition said no to this program because that’s what they always say,” he said.

“But I was surprised to see the Greens once again say no to helping Australians buy their own homes, especially when so many have had taxpayers help them buy their own homes.”

His comments drew immediate interjections, but he then singled out both Senator Nick McKim and Senator Mehreen Faruqi, claiming they “each own four houses.”

“Or Senator Allman-Payne, who owns two houses,” he added.

“Labour wants to help young Australians buy just one home.”

Mr McKim hit back, saying: ‘That’s not true, that’s a lie.’

‘That is a lie. Be honest and truthful,” he said, pointing his finger at Mr. Watt.

Daily Mail Australia understands Mr McKim, who is also party chairman, owns three properties in his home state of Tasmania.

It is believed to be a ‘hut’, along with a property in Nubeena, south-west of Hobart, and another house in New Norfolk, north-west of Hobart.

The Tasmanian senator made it clear in May 2023 that he was only renting out one of the properties.

“There have been quite a few wild reactions to this topic, so to be clear, my partner and I only have one rental property,” he said.

“Our tenant is a disabled family member who would otherwise likely be homeless due to the major parties’ dismal inability to tackle the rental crisis.

“We recognize the privilege that makes this possible, and we feel comfortable with our decision to provide a safe, affordable home to someone close to us who desperately needed one.” And yes, the rent is frozen.’

He also clarified that the other house listed as an “investment” was farmland – “a pasture that we are rewilding.”

Ms. Faruqi was outwardly less outraged by Mr. Watt’s allegations.

Faruqi, with her husband Omar Faruqi, owns a Beaconsfield terrace in Sydney’s south, a private home in the same area and a house in Port Macquarie on the New South Wales north coast.

She also owns a 500 sqm plot of land in Lahore, Pakistan.

Labor has singled out Green politicians who oppose the proposed Help to Buy legislation but own several properties themselves. Senator Nick McKim (pictured) exploded when accused of owning ‘four houses’; he previously said he owns three homes and his only tenant is a “disabled family member” whose rent has been “frozen”

Penny Allman-Payne, a Greens senator for Queensland, rents out a four-bedroom house in Cleveland, east of Brisbane, and has another property, her main residence, in Gladstone.

But the party’s housing spokesman, Mr Chandler-Mather, is a renter and, like many other young people, has also struggled to break into the housing market.

On Tuesday he questioned the Prime Minister about the government’s response to the Reserve Bank review.

“The Greens have opposed the government’s proposal to strip its power to protect tenants and mortgage holders from unreasonable interest rate rises,” he said.

“Former Prime Minister Keating and two former RBA Governors publicly agree with us that major political decisions such as rate hikes require political accountability.

“Will you admit that your government was wrong when it tried to give up its power to override unreasonable interest rate increases and support the Greens’ amendment to the bill?”

The question prompted an immediate reprimand from Mr Albanese.

He said: ‘What is surprising here is not that the Greens political party is taking that position; it is that some in the Liberal Party say they will support you on that too.

“Senator McKim has shown with his pointed comments from the sidelines that he knows nothing about how the RBA functions and that he does not understand the review.

“This just shows that it’s all about political posturing and opportunism. If you want to side with the Greens, you can wear that.

“We expect economic irresponsibility from them, but we expect something better from mainstream political parties.”