David Pocock’s Commonwealth Land (Affordable Housing) Bill would require affordable housing to be built into residential development on Commonwealth land. It deserves support because public land should deliver lasting public value, not simply the highest possible sale price.

Australia can’t afford to leave good housing solutions sitting on the table.

That’s why I support the Commonwealth Land (Affordable Housing) Bill 2026 and, more importantly, the principle behind it. When governments control land that could contribute to housing supply, we should be asking how that public asset can deliver the greatest long-term benefit, not just the highest sale price.

The bill sets out a framework for Commonwealth land released for residential development, including a requirement that at least 30 per cent of dwellings built on that land be affordable, subject to exemptions and the detailed operation of the legislation. It’s a conversation Australia urgently needs to have.

Public land is more than a balance-sheet item

Governments have a genuine responsibility to manage public assets well. But responsible management shouldn’t automatically mean extracting the highest possible sale price. Land carries social value as well as financial value.

If publicly owned land is suitable for housing, there’s a legitimate question about whether selling it at maximum market value is really the best outcome for the community. Sometimes the better return is measured in homes........

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