The prime minister insists he is focused on boosting affordable housing, despite coming under fire for being “tone-deaf” after buying a multi-million dollar oceanfront property.
Anthony Albanese and his fiancée Jodie Haydon bought the $4.3 million, four-bedroom home at Copacabana on the NSW Central Coast, ahead of the couple’s wedding.
But the timing, in the middle of a housing crisis has been called into question, as the federal government looks to push affordable property measures through parliament.
Asked about the optics of the beach house purchase, Mr Albanese said federal parliament had a responsibility to enact housing policies.
“What I am focused on is delivering more houses for Australians,” he said in Hobart on Wednesday.
“This is about helping 40,000 Australians into their own home and I can’t understand why the Liberals, Nationals or the Greens do not vote for it.”
Labor frontbenchers defended the prime minister’s choice to splash out on the home, with Housing Minister Clare O’Neil saying it was a private decision.
“He is about to embark on a new life with his incredible fiancée,” she told Seven’s Sunrise program on Wednesday.
“This man leads an Australian government that is more bold and ambitious on addressing the housing needs in Australia than we have in many decades,” she said.
“I understand the interest but we are trying to address the housing issue that affects millions across the country.”
But while opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume said Mr Albanese had the right to a personal life, there were concerns about the purchase coinciding with the debate on housing.
“I have a problem with the timing, and this is tone deaf during a housing crisis,” she told Seven’s Sunrise.
“The prime minister has every right to make plans for his retirement, but I think there are plenty of Australians and probably some of his colleagues that would like to see it happen sooner rather than later.”
The next federal election is due by May, with housing set to dominate the campaign.
The government has tried to get policies through parliament allowing first-home buyers to have a lower deposit for a property but has been blocked in the Senate by the coalition and the Greens.
Mr Albanese said he remained committed to getting Labor’s home buyers scheme up and running, as well as affordable housing schemes.
“We want to get on with helping Australians, whether it be public housing, whether it be rentals or whether it be buying their own homes,” he said.
The prime minister rejected suggestions the purchase had sent the wrong signal, noting his parliamentary register of interests will be updated once the sale is complete.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the criticism was unfair.
“He is perfectly entitled to plan a property portfolio,” he told ABC radio.
“That’s what he’s doing, and most Australians, average Australians, will say, ‘fair enough, good on the bloke, leave him alone’.
“Anthony cops it when sells a property, he cops it when he provides a rent holiday to his tenants, he cops it when he buys a property.”
