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Public Matter

Issues · Housing

The ACT's housing debt

Votes on whether to publicly criticise federal Labor MPs over the ACT's historic housing debt.

The ACT owes the Commonwealth about $66 million in old housing debt. These votes are about how strongly the Assembly should criticise federal Labor for not waiving it.

How the 25 MLAs voted

11 always for · 8 always against · 6 not in these votes

Based on 3 recorded votes. For each vote we show which side counts as “for” this issue, and count how often each MLA voted on that side. This describes how they voted, not whether they were right.

What this can’t tell you

  • Most decisions in the Assembly are made on the voices, with no names recorded. Only recorded votes appear here.
  • Many of these votes are on changes to someone else’s motion. Voting against a change can mean “not like this” or “not funded yet”, not opposition to the idea.
  • Summaries say whose proposal each vote was on, so you can see when an MLA voted on their own motion or amendment.

Not yet checked. The plain-English summaries and the links between these votes and this issue were drafted with AI help and haven’t been checked by a person yet. The votes themselves are exactly as recorded in Hansard.

Each MLA

Squares show each vote, oldest first: for, against, not voting.

Always voted for (11)

  • Andrew Braddock · Yerrabi
    ACT Greens    For in 3 of 3 votes
  • Chiaka Barry · Ginninderra
    Canberra Liberals    For in 3 of 3 votes
  • Ed Cocks · Murrumbidgee
    Canberra Liberals    For in 3 of 3 votes
  • James Milligan · Yerrabi
    Canberra Liberals    For in 3 of 3 votes
  • Jeremy Hanson · Murrumbidgee
    Canberra Liberals    For in 3 of 3 votes
  • Jo Clay · Ginninderra
    ACT Greens    For in 3 of 3 votes
  • Laura Nuttall · Brindabella
    ACT Greens    For in 3 of 3 votes
  • Leanne Castley · Yerrabi
    Canberra Liberals    For in 3 of 3 votes
  • Mark Parton · Brindabella
    Canberra Liberals    For in 3 of 3 votes
  • Peter Cain · Ginninderra
    Canberra Liberals    For in 3 of 3 votes
  • Thomas Emerson · Kurrajong
    Independents for Canberra    For in 3 of 3 votes

Always voted against (8)

Not in any of these votes (6)

  • Deborah Morris · Brindabella
    Canberra Liberals    Not in any recorded vote on this issue
  • Elizabeth Lee · Kurrajong
    Canberra Liberals    Not in any recorded vote on this issue
  • Fiona Carrick · Murrumbidgee
    Fiona Carrick Independent    Not in any recorded vote on this issue
  • Rachel Stephen-Smith · Kurrajong
    Labor    Not in any recorded vote on this issue
  • Rebecca Vassarotti · Kurrajong
    ACT Greens    Not in any recorded vote on this issue
  • Tara Cheyne · Ginninderra
    Labor    Not in any recorded vote on this issue

The votes

  1. 1. 25 March 2026 · Public housing—debt to commonwealthNot yet checked

    The housing minister's change to a Liberal motion on the ACT's housing debt. It would have replaced condemning Senator Gallagher with simply asking the Commonwealth to waive the debt. It was voted down.

    Voting No counts as for this issue. It would have removed the criticism of federal Labor.

    Result: Ayes 8, Noes 12. Who voted each way

  2. 2. 25 March 2026 · Public housing—debt to commonwealthNot yet checked

    A Greens change widening the criticism to the ACT's Labor members in the federal House of Representatives. It passed.

    Voting Aye counts as for this issue. It extended the criticism to more federal Labor MPs.

    Result: Ayes 12, Noes 8. Who voted each way

  3. 3. 25 March 2026 · Public housing—debt to commonwealthNot yet checked

    The final motion criticising federal Labor MPs for not waiving the ACT's housing debt. It passed.

    Voting Aye counts as for this issue. A vote for the criticism.

    Result: Ayes 12, Noes 8. Who voted each way

What Canberrans said about housing

31%picked “Improving housing choice and affordability” as one of their top three priorities for the ACT Government
24%of everyone surveyed agreed enough is currently being done about it

What they most wanted

  • Deliver more public, community, and affordable rental homes69%
  • Change planning rules to enable more housing choice and supply48%
  • Help renters who are struggling financially46%

From the 2025 Community Priorities Survey (ACT Government, YourSay Panel, summary report, april 2026), carried out 21 October to 4 November 2025: 1,801 people answered. An opt-in panel of Canberrans aged 18 and over, with extra young people recruited through a second panel, weighted by age, gender and region to match the 2021 Census. “What they most wanted” is out of the 503 people who picked this area; each could choose up to three. This shows what people told one survey. It isn’t a vote, and it doesn’t say how any MLA should vote.