ACOSS response to Senator Bragg’s energy and housing comments

13 August 2026

Quotes attributed to ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie

“ACOSS is shocked by comments made by Senator Bragg suggesting people should accept substandard housing – this is not a serious answer to the housing crisis and no one should have to live in a home that isn’t safe for their health and wellbeing.

“While Australia desperately needs more housing there is absolutely no reason we should build the worst homes for the people with the least ability to move anywhere else.

“ACOSS regularly hears from people on low-incomes who are forced to choose between food and medicine to pay their energy bills. In our most recent Heat Report, which surveyed people experiencing financial and social disadvantage, 60% of respondents reported experiencing health impacts as a result of heat in the home.

“Energy performance and accessibility are what keep a home survivable during a heatwave or affordable to keep warm in winter. These are not “optional extras”. 

“The changes to the building code proposed by Senator Bragg would simply remove costs from the builder and move them onto the household – locking them into higher power bills for decades, deepening inequality, risking lives, leaving future generations with homes that are expensive to run.

“When questioned about genuine concerns raised by ACOSS in the media yesterday, Senator Bragg made flagrantly false claims about ACOSS’ position on the super guarantee (ACOSS  actually opposed the last increase) and suggested that people should accept substandard housing. 

“No one in Australia should have to make the impossible choice between a roof over their head and a healthy, safe home that is affordable to power. People on low incomes, renters, people with disability and chronic health conditions and the elderly will be worse off.”

“If we are serious about addressing the housing crisis and ensuring everyone has a roof over their head we need to drastically scale up the construction of social housing, which has been in decline for decades.”