NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson has accused the Greens of playing political games over social housing reforms being put forward by federal Labor.
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The federal government is attempting to pass the $10 billion, Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF), to deliver 30,000 new social and affordable housing properties in five years, about half of which would be in NSW.
Ms Jackson described the Greens' opposition to the bill, which has them bargaining for more investment and immediate relief, as "politicking".
"I'm not against them putting their ideas forward .... what I am against is what I consider to be the politicking, the political games that's going on," Ms Jackson said.
"Right now all their posturing is doing is holding up the passing of an urgently needed housing package."
The coalition could also choose to support the bill, she said.
Ms Jackson said it is possible to deliver high quality and attractive social housing, if there is political will and co-operation across all levels of government.
Lessons from a recent trip to London will help the NSW government tackle a desperate lack of social and affordable housing, which has led to a wait list of almost 60,000 households across the state.
Ms Jackson joined community housing provider Link Wentworth chief executive Andrew McAnulty on a study tour of London's social housing in September, before Labor came to government.
"I think the real insight from London is that political will goes a long way," Ms Jackson said.
Mr McAnulty agreed that in contrast to Australia, London's political leaders had embraced the importance of social and affordable housing, irrespective of their "political colour".
He described the HAFF as a massive step in the right direction, while agreeing with the Greens that more could be done.
Mr McAnulty said the private sector as well as charitable and non-for-profit organisations are ready to get on with building more housing stock, if government is on board.
One of the key steps to be taken by the NSW government, according to Ms Jackson, will be reforming planning laws which she says take too long across both local council and state government pathways.
"The planning system from top to bottom, when it comes to social and affordable housing, is dysfunctional and too slow," she said.
It was possible for the government to achieve meaningful planning reform within the next few months.
To avoid delivering "cheap, and nasty and unattractive" social housing, Australia needs to consider details such as building materials, green space and the appearance of street frontages.
"We can't have a situation where the delivery of social and affordable housing is the ugliest house in the street," she said.
Australian Associated Press
