Today Leader of the ACT Greens, Shane Rattenbury will introduce legislation to the ACT Legislative Assembly which will enshrine housing as a human right following calls for such a move from stakeholders.
"Like education or healthcare, affordable housing is an essential service and key to living a life with dignity. From childhood through to adulthood, housing provides the basis for stability in all aspects of our lives, and should be treated by government accordingly" said Leader of the ACT Greens, Shane Rattenbury.
"For too long, politicians across the nation have treated the government's role in the housing market as providing for private profit, rather than safeguarding our community from the skyrocketing cost of finding and keeping a home.
"This Bill introduced by the Greens will set the groundwork for a complete rethink of the government's role in housing, providing a starting point for deeper, more ambitious discussions about how the government can ensure quality, affordable homes for all Canberrans.
"This means that when new laws are introduced in the Assembly, the government will need to think about the fundamental right to housing. This includes considering how it affects things like home security for Canberrans, affordability, access to essential services like water and electricity, as well as location and accessibility. All the components that create a good home.
"For existing renters who live in public housing, this will also mean the government has a clear responsibility to ensure homes are free of mould, free of water damage, have proper ventilation and are warm in the winter.
"This legislation is a direct response to the community's conversation during the 2024 ACT Election, calling for politicians to recognise housing as a human right, ensuring greater accountability for the quality of housing in Canberra.
"Following our public consultation on the draft Bill, the ACT Human Rights Commission and other organisations like Canberra Community Law have affirmed the importance of incorporating the right to housing into the Human Rights Act.
"Their submissions show that including this right will have a real and significant impact on the lives of thousands of Canberrans in the rental and housing market."
Submissions from the ACT Human Rights Commission and Canberra Community Law can be accessed online.
