Greens move for Senate debate on housing affordability as Hockey takes leave of reality

The Australian Greens will move for a full debate on housing affordability and negative gearing in the Senate next week, in response to Treasurer Hockey's wild-eyed predictions about the effects of negative gearing.

"To try and dissuade the Treasurer from just making stuff up in future, the Greens will move for an evidence-based debate in the Senate when Parliament resumes," said Greens Senator Scott Ludlam.

"Hockey has made claims that negative gearing reform would increase rents. This myth has been comprehensively debunked, in theory and in practice: it did not occur when negative gearing was wound back in 1985, and it won't occur today.

"This is an important debate and it needs to be driven by facts and evidence. There are legitimate arguments to be had about the best way to unwind these unfair tax concessions and help all Australians into affordable housing, but let's at least start from real-world facts.

"The Abbott Government has made severe cuts to housing affordability programs, they're displaying a shocking disconnect from people who are renting or looking to move into the housing market and they're ignoring the evidence on key policy proposals like negative gearing," Senator Ludlam concluded.