Barbara Pocock
@barbarapocock.bsky.social
Writer, mother, painter, unionist, professor, economist, Greens Senator for SA. Spokesperson for Housing, Workplace Relations, Employment, Finance, Public Sector.
A massive increase in 75+ year olds living in rental stress. More are renting, & for longer, in a housing crisis where rents are thro the roof.
February 6, 2026 at 11:31 PM
A massive increase in 75+ year olds living in rental stress. More are renting, & for longer, in a housing crisis where rents are thro the roof.
New figures show the Capital Gains Tax discount will blow a quarter-trillion dollar hole in the budget over the next 10 yrs. Considerably more than the $205 bn it has cost over its 25 years. The richest 1% of income earners will get a staggering 59% of the benefit.
February 5, 2026 at 10:50 PM
New figures show the Capital Gains Tax discount will blow a quarter-trillion dollar hole in the budget over the next 10 yrs. Considerably more than the $205 bn it has cost over its 25 years. The richest 1% of income earners will get a staggering 59% of the benefit.
Incredible that Labor is selling out SA by putting Woodside Barracks on the privatisation chopping block. 145 hectares of prime public land in our precious Adelaide Hills. Where are their priorities for public housing? For public amenities? Shame on you Labor. All wrong.
February 5, 2026 at 1:38 AM
Incredible that Labor is selling out SA by putting Woodside Barracks on the privatisation chopping block. 145 hectares of prime public land in our precious Adelaide Hills. Where are their priorities for public housing? For public amenities? Shame on you Labor. All wrong.
In the same week Australian households were told their mortgage repayments will go up, they have also learnt who the real beneficiaries of government housing policies are & it’s not first-home buyers.
February 5, 2026 at 1:34 AM
In the same week Australian households were told their mortgage repayments will go up, they have also learnt who the real beneficiaries of government housing policies are & it’s not first-home buyers.
After taking years Labor has finally responded to the reccs of two Parliamentary inquiries into the consultancy sector. But they've failed to meet the moment. Labor needs to legislate the reports’ recommendations instead of relying on voluntary guidelines & endless reviews.
February 5, 2026 at 12:26 AM
After taking years Labor has finally responded to the reccs of two Parliamentary inquiries into the consultancy sector. But they've failed to meet the moment. Labor needs to legislate the reports’ recommendations instead of relying on voluntary guidelines & endless reviews.
Every post a winner when you play the revolving door. 💰 www.afr.com/rear-window/...
Clare O’Neil’s housing policy brain quits for CBA
The latest in CBA’s musical chairs is the housing minister’s policy director.
www.afr.com
February 4, 2026 at 6:03 AM
Every post a winner when you play the revolving door. 💰 www.afr.com/rear-window/...
Labor's planned fire sale of Vic Barracks ignores the obvious solution: converting this prime publicly-owned land into social & affordable housing. Selling to the highest bidder while Aus' sleep in cars & tents exposes the govt's misplaced priorities. tinyurl.com/yc7a6u34
Albanese government to sell off $3bn worth of historic defence sites amid push to free up space for new homes
Richard Marles has decided to sell more than 60 properties, including Victoria Barracks in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane
tinyurl.com
February 4, 2026 at 4:46 AM
Labor's planned fire sale of Vic Barracks ignores the obvious solution: converting this prime publicly-owned land into social & affordable housing. Selling to the highest bidder while Aus' sleep in cars & tents exposes the govt's misplaced priorities. tinyurl.com/yc7a6u34
Congratulations to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on winning a Grammy for his audiobook Meditations. At 90, His Holiness’s lifelong devotion to peace & compassion continues to inspire the world. Not just an award, but a global celebration of the “oneness of humanity” His Holiness has always championed.
February 3, 2026 at 5:17 AM
Congratulations to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on winning a Grammy for his audiobook Meditations. At 90, His Holiness’s lifelong devotion to peace & compassion continues to inspire the world. Not just an award, but a global celebration of the “oneness of humanity” His Holiness has always championed.
Today's interest rate rise means that while banks profit, millions of renters & mortgage holders will be left cleaning up Labor’s inflation mess. This outcome was avoidable if Labor had acted to rein in investor tax breaks, including the capital gains tax discount.
February 3, 2026 at 5:04 AM
Today's interest rate rise means that while banks profit, millions of renters & mortgage holders will be left cleaning up Labor’s inflation mess. This outcome was avoidable if Labor had acted to rein in investor tax breaks, including the capital gains tax discount.
"When you consider that some people are now spending as much as 50 per cent of their salary just on keeping a roof over their heads, it’s little wonder they’re feeling overwhelmed."
👉 www.theage.com.au/money/saving...
👉 www.theage.com.au/money/saving...
February 2, 2026 at 1:48 AM
"When you consider that some people are now spending as much as 50 per cent of their salary just on keeping a roof over their heads, it’s little wonder they’re feeling overwhelmed."
👉 www.theage.com.au/money/saving...
👉 www.theage.com.au/money/saving...
Australians are bracing for another interest rate rise because Labor has turbo-charged the housing crisis & refused to tackle corporate price gouging. If you're a mortgage holder or a renter, you face being hit by the RBA to “fix” the government’s "inflation problem".
February 2, 2026 at 1:09 AM
Australians are bracing for another interest rate rise because Labor has turbo-charged the housing crisis & refused to tackle corporate price gouging. If you're a mortgage holder or a renter, you face being hit by the RBA to “fix” the government’s "inflation problem".
Shame on you Labor. More $$$ on investor tax breaks for the wealthy than on - combined - social housing, rent subsidies and homelessness. Who ARE you?
January 30, 2026 at 5:47 AM
Shame on you Labor. More $$$ on investor tax breaks for the wealthy than on - combined - social housing, rent subsidies and homelessness. Who ARE you?
New data from ACOSS today shows the Federal Government spends more on housing investor tax breaks ($12.3bn in 2025) than on social housing, homelessness services and rent assistance combined ($9.6bn in 2025).
January 30, 2026 at 1:14 AM
New data from ACOSS today shows the Federal Government spends more on housing investor tax breaks ($12.3bn in 2025) than on social housing, homelessness services and rent assistance combined ($9.6bn in 2025).
Thinking of all the school kids, farmers, townsfolk and animals in my hometown of Lameroo in SA’s mallee yesterday: 44.6 degrees. Too damn hot. 🔥
January 28, 2026 at 2:37 AM
Thinking of all the school kids, farmers, townsfolk and animals in my hometown of Lameroo in SA’s mallee yesterday: 44.6 degrees. Too damn hot. 🔥
The Greens are deeply concerned about CSIRO’s funding following successive cuts. We must do all we can to save the CSIRO. Science matters & it must be sufficiently resourced with public funds, to ensure science & research is independent and free of commercialisation.
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
January 25, 2026 at 6:31 AM
The Greens are deeply concerned about CSIRO’s funding following successive cuts. We must do all we can to save the CSIRO. Science matters & it must be sufficiently resourced with public funds, to ensure science & research is independent and free of commercialisation.
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
Gen X has taken over as Australia’s richest property owners, thanks to boomers downsizing & ‘passing on the baton’. Meanwhile, house prices in all capital cities, apart from Canberra, are now at their highest-ever levels, with six capitals now in the 'million-dollar club'.
January 22, 2026 at 1:53 AM
Gen X has taken over as Australia’s richest property owners, thanks to boomers downsizing & ‘passing on the baton’. Meanwhile, house prices in all capital cities, apart from Canberra, are now at their highest-ever levels, with six capitals now in the 'million-dollar club'.
Labor has teamed up with the Liberals with a last minute deal to pass dangerous new laws limiting speech and political expression. The Greens condemn the major parties for rushing through these laws that will have real impacts on people trying to speak out for human rights and against genocide.
January 21, 2026 at 3:50 AM
Labor has teamed up with the Liberals with a last minute deal to pass dangerous new laws limiting speech and political expression. The Greens condemn the major parties for rushing through these laws that will have real impacts on people trying to speak out for human rights and against genocide.
Bushfires are terrifying and the ones we have already seen across Victoria and Adelaide have caused so much devastation. We can't let this become our normal, we need to act on climate induced disasters and slow the acceleration caused by coal and gas operations.
January 20, 2026 at 2:43 AM
Bushfires are terrifying and the ones we have already seen across Victoria and Adelaide have caused so much devastation. We can't let this become our normal, we need to act on climate induced disasters and slow the acceleration caused by coal and gas operations.
That’s pressure, not independence: ‘Malinauskas stressed that the government “fundamentally opposes the inclusion” of the author in the 2026 program and “reserves the right to make public statements to this effect”’
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
SA premier ‘fundamentally opposed’ Randa Abdel-Fattah appearing at Adelaide writers’ week, letter to board shows
Three-page letter acknowledged that while Peter Malinauskas could not direct festival board, he was ‘deeply concerned’ Palestinian Australian author’s invitation not rescinded
www.theguardian.com
January 18, 2026 at 12:05 PM
That’s pressure, not independence: ‘Malinauskas stressed that the government “fundamentally opposes the inclusion” of the author in the 2026 program and “reserves the right to make public statements to this effect”’
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
“It is the letter that the premier sent on January 2 to then-Adelaide Festival board chair Tracey Whiting that is shaping as key to the entire Writers’ Week saga.”
January 16, 2026 at 8:53 PM
“It is the letter that the premier sent on January 2 to then-Adelaide Festival board chair Tracey Whiting that is shaping as key to the entire Writers’ Week saga.”
The Greens are again urging the Malinauskas Government to investigate these claims of political interference. The allegations that public servants have been told to stall investigations into the toxic algal bloom in order to protect the political interests of Labor are shocking.
January 16, 2026 at 1:34 AM
The Greens are again urging the Malinauskas Government to investigate these claims of political interference. The allegations that public servants have been told to stall investigations into the toxic algal bloom in order to protect the political interests of Labor are shocking.
The Premier refuses to apologise to Dr Abdel-Fattah. He should. And make public his communications with the previous Festival Board. Full disclosure is essential, along with true independence of our arts & cultural institutions that refuse racism and are free of political interference.
January 15, 2026 at 11:22 PM
The Premier refuses to apologise to Dr Abdel-Fattah. He should. And make public his communications with the previous Festival Board. Full disclosure is essential, along with true independence of our arts & cultural institutions that refuse racism and are free of political interference.
Data today shows rents again at record highs in nearly every capital city in Aus - Sydney at $800 a week! Rental vacancy rates are at record lows & Labor’s policies are incentivising wealthy property investors, which push property prices up & result in skyrocketing rents.
January 15, 2026 at 5:15 AM
Data today shows rents again at record highs in nearly every capital city in Aus - Sydney at $800 a week! Rental vacancy rates are at record lows & Labor’s policies are incentivising wealthy property investors, which push property prices up & result in skyrocketing rents.
After the inquiry hearings in the Riverland w' Senator Whish-Wilson, listening to farmers discuss their needs & concerns, I'm so happy to confirm wine grape growers in Aus will soon have a mandatory code to protect their business, a measure the Greens have long been calling for.
January 15, 2026 at 5:12 AM
After the inquiry hearings in the Riverland w' Senator Whish-Wilson, listening to farmers discuss their needs & concerns, I'm so happy to confirm wine grape growers in Aus will soon have a mandatory code to protect their business, a measure the Greens have long been calling for.
Artists & citizens standing up against racism, political interference & censorship works. Pressure works. We owe great thanks to readers, writers & leaders of Writers Week 2026. I hope a turning point in the racist pile on we have witnessed. We await the Premier’s apology.
January 15, 2026 at 1:00 AM
Artists & citizens standing up against racism, political interference & censorship works. Pressure works. We owe great thanks to readers, writers & leaders of Writers Week 2026. I hope a turning point in the racist pile on we have witnessed. We await the Premier’s apology.