Almost 600 public housing properties remain vacant in Canberra while more than 3650 approved applicants wait for a home, prompting two ACT politicians to demand greater transparency over the management of public housing.

Independent Kurrajong MLA Thomas Emerson and Greens MLA Rebecca Vassarotti will jointly move a motion in the Legislative Assembly today seeking the release of government documents and operational data relating to public housing.

The motion would require the government to table historical ministerial briefs, internal reports and contractor records within 30 days.

It would also require six-monthly reporting on public housing stock, vacancy rates, maintenance timeframes, the time taken to allocate vacant properties and homes classified as difficult to let.

The reports would be due by February 1 and August 1 each year for the remainder of the current Legislative Assembly.

Emerson says the public housing waitlist grew by more than 150 people in the first half of 2026, while the number of vacant properties increased by more than 50.

He says greater scrutiny is needed to explain why government-owned homes remain empty despite growing demand.

Vassarotti says longstanding problems with vacancies, maintenance and waiting lists highlight the need to improve public housing management and expand the availability of affordable homes.

The two MLAs say the proposed reporting requirements would allow ongoing scrutiny of government decisions affecting public housing tenants and applicants.

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