The proposed $10 billion housing fund may be shelved by the federal government after it was pushed back to later this year.
The Greens successfully delayed the bill until October – with the support of the opposition – in the Senate on Monday.
The Greens oppose the fund because of a lack of support for renters and said the delay would allow Labor to negotiate rent reforms with state and territory leaders at an upcoming national cabinet meeting.
Rent freezes cannot be imposed without the support of states and territories, with a number of premiers ruling out the measure.
Asked if the legislation will be brought back, Housing Minister Julie Collins said the government would be looking at “all the options available”.
“What we want to do is get on with the job of delivering homes,” she said in Canberra on Tuesday.
“We’re working with our partners in the states and territories, local government and the community housing sector to deliver homes each and every day and we’re going to continue to do that.”
The government announced at the weekend a $2b commitment for social housing, to be shared among the states and territories, ahead of the housing fund bill being voted on in the upper house.
The housing fund would use investment returns to build 30,000 social and affordable homes each year for the next five years.
Independent senator David Pocock said it was disappointing the Greens and coalition had delayed the legislation, following months of negotiations where the government made concessions.
“I don’t see who wins by kicking this to October,” he told ABC radio.
“There is an urgency to get going on this now – housing is not going to go away as an issue.
“My view is that we now bank these wins, we get on with building new social and affordable housing our community so desperately needs across the country.”
Senator Pocock said there were 300 people every day nationwide having their requests for emergency or other accommodation go unmet.
Housing advocates and the crossbench on Monday called on the Greens to support the legislation in its current form, warning Australia was facing a crisis.
– AAP
