The Greens will ensure housing stress is at the top of the agenda going into the Federal election, housing spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said today. 

“High rent and mortgage costs are the single biggest factor pushing families and individuals into homelessness; so the Greens have launched a plan to provide 7000 news homes nationally and double the funding for homelessness services,” Senator Ludlam said. 

The high cost of housing puts millions of Australians on a budget tightrope that can break easily, the Australian Greens warned today.

"Last night's Four Corners showed cases in which the fall from relative stability to deep poverty happened with shocking speed. ACOSS have demonstrated that the crisis is overwhelming the ability of agencies and service providers to respond," said Australian Greens housing spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam.

Australian Greens housing spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam will spend tonight sleeping on the streets of the nation's capital to raise awareness of homelessness.

"There is no reason why any Australian should be denied the basic human right to shelter. I hope Australians will donate to St Vinnies by sponsoring me for the Sleep Out, and will get behind the Greens' campaign to deliver affordable housing and better services for those in need."

Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam says the Fair Work Commission's move to increase the minimum wage by $15.80 a week barely matches inflation and will leave WA workers struggling with record high rents.

"The minimum weekly wage is barely over $600, and the median weekly rent in Perth is $520. The weight of those numbers is crushing people.

‘The Housing We'd Choose' study released today by the Housing Industry Association, Planning Institute of Australia, Property Council and the WA Planning and Housing departments confirms there is a major mismatch between housing demand and housing supply in Perth.

The rapid rise in the cost of housing has pushed thousands of Australians into deep poverty, the Australian Greens warned today as a Salvation Army survey revealed alarming results.

Greens housing spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said "Labor and the Coalition need to declare what they will do to deliver more affordable housing in Australia before the September election".

"The Government's failure to acknowledge the national housing crisis shows the Labor party has turned its back on millions of Australians struggling with unaffordable housing," Australian Greens housing spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said today.

"This Budget has no new programmes for improving housing affordability. No new money to tackle homelessness. No boost in public housing. No plans for more affordable rentals or more affordable ownership. No mention of the word housing in the Budget speech. Labor and the Coalition are pretending this crisis doesn't exist.

The Federal Budget is a mixed bag for Western Australia, Greens Senator for WA Scott Ludlam said tonight.

Senator Ludlam, who has championed light rail for Perth since 2007, welcomed tonight's announcement that the Federal Government would provide $500 million in funding for public transport in Western Australia over the next decade.

"Many people have campaigned for years for a serious funding commitment to light rail in Perth. Half a billion dollars from the Commonwealth for light rail or the airport link is a big win for Western Australia."

An increase of almost one third in the number of Australians living in severely overcrowded housing shows the old parties aren't delivering affordable housing, the Australian Greens said today.

Greens housing spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said the 31 per cent rise in severe overcrowding reinforced the need for a comprehensive series of housing reforms.*

The Greens, the Property Council of Australia, and the Australian Urban Design Research Centre have developed an ambitious report that demonstrates Perth can accommodate its projected population growth within the existing urban footprint of the city, while also providing a blueprint for vastly improved public transport and boosting affordable housing and local business.