David Pocock urges government, Greens to reach a deal on Housing Australia Future Fund amid double dissolution talk

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young on Monday moved a motion to delay a vote on the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund until October, over demands for national rental caps and freezes.

The fund would see $500 million paid out to states and territories from 2024-25 for social and affordable housing, and would fund 30,000 new houses in its first five years.

Senator Hanson-Young said the bill wouldn't pass with the Greens' support until the Prime Minister "put[s] some money on the table at national cabinet" to incentivise states to deliver rental relief".

The government could consider this the first step in a process to trigger a double dissolution, Labor senator Don Farrell told the Senate.

"I don't think there'd be too many Australians excited about going to another election at this stage," Senator Pocock said on Tuesday morning.

"I think the expectation is that politicians get on with it and actually negotiate things through the Senate, come to some sort of reasonable compromise.

"Get going rather than have this this stalemate that is used for political ends."

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Appearing alongside Senator Pocock, University of Canberra Professor of Government and Law Kim Rubenstein said there was "certainly an opportunity" for the government to follow the double dissolution path.

"The Constitution clearly provides for a framework for this," Professor Rubenstein, a former ACT Senate candidate, said.

"So it would give a very open possibility for a government to say, well, we are riding on a high and this is an opportunity to go back to the electorate, go back on issues to do with tax reform and get the support from the community on moving forward in a way that enables the government to better respond to the very legitimate requests from the crossbench in terms of substantial social and tax reform that is needed.

"So it's certainly an opportunity and a government that sees itself doing well, will take, should seriously consider that as an option."

The stalemate on the bill has emerged over the issue of rental caps and freezes, which the government says is an issue for the states and territories. Experts and industry figures have meanwhile warned freezes could discourage landlords from renting out properties and stifle supply.

Housing Minister Julie Collins on Tuesday avoided questions on a potential double dissolution.

"We're working with states and territories, with local government, with the community housing sector and indeed with the construction sector, who we know need this funding today," she told reporters.

The housing minister did not clarify whether the government would try to reintroduce the bill to the Senate before October.

"We're looking at all of the options in terms of delivering on our housing agenda."

Senator Pocock said the government "should absolutely be trying to get a deal on this, working with the Greens to get a deal".

"It could happen this morning. They could move a motion of support of the Greens on the crossbench to deal with this, this morning.

"I would urge them to both be talking to each other and to do what's what's best for Australians."

"We can bank these gains, we can bank the Housing Australia Future Fund and the extra $10 billion or so that has been committed in other measures and then continue to push them on renters rights, on things like capital gains tax discount on investment properties."

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