“But right now, the Greens are stagnating, and there’s no evidence that’s suddenly going to change unless the party shakes up its approach. This is the time to question established conventions, throw a bunch of stuff at the wall, and see what sticks. Persisting with the status quo while One Nation surges is a recipe for Greens’ political irrelevancy and a brisk march towards fascism.” – Former Greens councillor for the Gabba ward and lord Mayoral candidate, Jonathan Sriranganathan.
I’m sitting at the kitchen table trying to work out what this year’s Federal Budget actually means in practice.
So I’m reading the Griffith Community Newsletter — the Budget Edition — mailed by my local member, Renée Coffey.
On the front page Coffey is pictured handing over $2 million to the Little Miracles project, part of the Mater Foundation connected with the children’s hospital in our electorate. All commendable work.
But the larger question remains: how does the Federal Government intend to redistribute wealth in a country where the rich avoid paying tax while working people and the poor fall further behind? Renee has this to say:
“During these times of global economic uncertainty, many people in our community are working hard and still feeling the pressure. Whether it’s the cost of groceries, rent, mortgage repayments, fuel, or keeping a small business running, these expenses can feel overwhelming.“
Dotted throughout the newsletter, there follows phrases like “cost-of-living relief,” “national resilience,” and “stronger and fairer future”. Renee adds:
This Budget delivers practical support for households, strengthens our national resilience, and begins the harder reform work needed to address inflation, productivity, tax, housing, and intergenerational fairness.
The new member for Griffith has produced a newsletter that has the feel of local but fits into a party communications template — polished, disciplined and message-focused — almost AI generated. But with a folksy appeal when Renee says:
When I bought my first home more than 20 years ago it was a rundown flat in Cannon Hill. I was 21 I had moved out at home worked multiple jobs and saved half of every paycheck for stop within two years I had enough for a small deposit on a modest place in my own without financial support from anyone else.
According to Crikey, 20 years on, the Labor member is independently wealthy owning shares in Future Generation Australia Ltd (ASX: FGX) that holds shares in BHP Group Ltd and Santos Ltd (as of its last reported portfolio disclosure). Renee Coffey also owns her residence, an investment property, and her husband has two other investment properties, according to the parliamentary register.
The big ticket item in the 2026 budget is the abolition of negative gearing. Our member says “we’re limiting negative gearing for residential properties to new builds from July 2027 we’re also replacing the 50% capital gains tax discount with inflation adjusted indexation for stop these CGT changes will be proscriptive prospective and you builds will retain the option to use the 50% discount.”
The government may get some form of tax changes through the parliament with Greens’ support.
Too little, too late. What seems likely is that the Labor government, having already begun moving on tax concessions tied to housing, will increasingly adopt elements of the housing platform developed by Greens Max Chandler-Mather in Griffith. Max, having done a Bradbury, by winning the seat, was crucified at the last election in May 2025.
Max Chandler-Mather, having won Griffith in May 2022, was ousted by a well-funded and aggressive Advance advertising campaign that spent millions of dollars targeting the Greens MP. Max was pro-union and staunchly opposed to Israel’s genocide in Palestine. But the big issue for Max was housing, and he put it to the government. His performances were Whitlamesque, maintainthe rage.
Then bizarre billboards suddenly appeared across Brisbane with slogans aimed specifically at undermining support for ‘Mad’ Max and his scial democraticpolicies on housing and health.
It is quite ironic that Renee Coffey should be the beneficiary of this developer-funded right-wing campaign against the Greens incumbent. Ironic because Renee is now offering a patchwork quilt of Max’s policies on housing. Will her government go to water and squib on negative gearing? Capitulation is a big suit with Labor fearful of One Nation and Big Business. And if they don’t, Labor have delayed too long. They should have done this at the last budget.
Max advocated for stronger action on investor tax settings, a greater focus on public and social housing, and measures aimed at easing pressure on renters and first-home buyers.
Less than a year into her first term Renee Coffey touts Labor’s new stance. She opines with crafted promises: “we are delivering cost-of-living relief, strengthening fuel security, boosting productivity, and reforming our tax system to address long-standing challenges in housing and across the broader economy. These are national issues, but they are also felt locally in every one of our suburbs.“
Politically, this allows Labor to respond to growing anger over the affordability crisis felt in Coorparoo six packs lining Old Cleveland Road. Meanwhile Labor is trying to counter Pauline Hanson and One Nation blaming migrants for the housing shortage. Just the other day, a local Aussie son told me had migrants don’t even know how to drive properly.
We are all migrants aren’t we? is my reply.
The deeper issue, however, is not migration. It is the failure of housing policy itself — decades of underinvestment in public housing, unchecked speculation in the property market, and tax settings that reward ownership accumulation while locking many out. Unless those structural problems are addressed, the political pressure around affordability will only intensify.
Renee, secure with her families investment properties, trots out Labor’s line:
This year’s Federal Budget is about providing support now while also making responsible changes for the future. For me, the key questions are whether this Budget helps our community manage the pressures we face today, and whether it builds a stronger and fairer future for generations to come. I believe it does.
And then the sales pitch: This work matters deeply to me, and I remain focused on delivering for our community as your local member.
Thank you sincerely for your trust, and for the advocacy you continue to bring to me on so many important issues. I will keep working hard to be a clear voice for Griffith in the national decisions that shape our country and the community we share. – Renée Coffey MP, Federal Member for Griffith.
What seems likely is that the Labor government, having already begun moving on tax concessions tied to housing, will increasingly adopt elements of the housing agenda first pushed by Max Chandler-Mather in Griffith.
That includes stronger action on investor tax settings, a greater focus on public and social housing, and measures aimed at easing pressure on renters and first-home buyers.
Labor may even put dental into Medicare as a sweetener ( pardon the pun ) before the next election.
But is it enough? There has been a lot of water under the bridge since Kevin Rudd held his head in his hands at a Norman Park traffic island during the Kevin 07 federal campaign. Dubious Labor voters probably felt sorry enough for Kevin to vote for Labor one last time. Now, disillusionment is palpable.
Ian Curr, 28 May 2026.