ACT Labor will be called on to investigate a Singapore-style public housing system that relies on a government-owned developer to deliver housing, after party members voted to endorse greater government involvement in building and maintaining housing.
Delegates at the party's annual conference endorsed a resolution calling for the ACT government to act as a developer to build new public housing instead of primarily relying on private developers.
The motion was proposed by the powerful CFMEU and also called on Labor to insource the maintenance of public housing in the ACT and act as a developer to build new public housing instead of engaging private developers.
"We know that the private sector cannot be trusted to deliver social services, it must be the role of government. To address the public housing crisis in Canberra, the ACT government must step up and directly build and maintain public housing," a preamble to the motion said.
Delegates to the Labor conference voted to slightly amend the resolution, leaving open the role of private developers in delivering new public housing.
Zach Smith, the CFMEU ACT branch secretary, said housing was a fundamental right and should not just be an investment or asset for the wealthy.
"I always say when we talk about how societies can be judged on how we treat the most vulnerable - and right now across this country, as it's been the case for decades, our nation is failing," Mr Smith told the conference.
"It is failing to provide the most basic human right of housing to hundreds of thousands of people - and it is a right."
Mr Smith said if the ACT wanted to be a humane society, it needed to invest in more public housing that was fit to live in.
The government of Singapore builds, manages and maintains public housing, in which more than 75 per cent of the population lives.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr on Saturday announced a re-elected Labor government would cut stamp duty for more first home buyers over the next Legislative Assembly term, changes to zoning rules to allow more medium-density housing and a design competition for a new pattern book of missing middle housing designs.
Mr Barr also told Labor's conference a re-elected Labor government wanted to ensure public housing was well maintained for its tenants.
"We want the best maintenance service available. And that's why we are embarking on a transition process for the maintenance of public housing to be delivered directly by publicly employed workers," Mr Barr said in his strongest comments to date on insourcing public housing maintenance.
Labor's adoption of a policy in favour of considering a publicly-owned developer follows the ACT Greens announcement in April it would establish a government developer as part of a $5.9 billion plan to build and buy 10,000 new public housing dwellings over the next decade.
The plan was heavily criticised by Mr Barr and Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry, who is also the ACT's housing minister.
A spokesman for the ACT Greens on Saturday said ACT Labor's election announcement repackaged existing government policy and it should underwhelm Canberrans.
"Labor cannot credibly claim they are going to follow a policy of 'missing middle' infill while they continue to want to build homes on the edges of our city, paving over the natural environment," the party spokesman said.
The Property Council welcomed the Labor announcement, but said more support was still needed for build-to-rent projects and changes to support social, affordable, retirement and student housing.
"We welcome the focus on the missing middle, a commitment to planning system improvements to drive more choice and speed of delivery, and acknowledgement of the value of investment in Local Centres and mixed-use development," Property Council ACT acting executive director Katie Stevenson said.
"While these measures will provide a shot in the arm, we need to continue with bold reform to deliver the right supply and mix of housing, to give everyone access to quality and affordable homes to suit their stage of life for years to come."
