Anthony Albanese faces pressure to strike a deal with the states on rent controls, with the Greens arguing Australians could have saved billions of dollars if regulations were rolled out 12 months ago.

The prime minister will meet with state and territory leaders in Brisbane on Wednesday to discuss the housing crisis.

The Greens and coalition are blocking Labor’s signature election promise, a $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund.

Laws to start the fund could pass the Senate if the government agrees to a Greens demand to offer the states and territories money to cap rents and offer greater rights for tenants.

Greens housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather asked the parliamentary library to find out how much the average renter would have saved if rents had been frozen 12 months ago.

He further asked what the estimated average cost to lease a house in each capital city would be next year, based on a central bank projection that rents could rise by close to 10 per cent.

Using census and consumer price index data, the library estimated an average saving per occupied dwelling across the country of $1427 in 2022/23 and $2261 in 2023/2024.

About two million renting households could have saved $3.1 billion in 2022/23 and $4.9 billion in 2023/24.

“These aren’t just numbers, a two-year saving of $3688 per household is food on the table, a desperately needed trip to the dentist or it’s the electricity bills for two years,” Mr Chandler-Mather said.

“The prime minister has a historic opportunity to save the one-third of this country who rent.”

Mr Albanese told parliament the premiers had been constructive in talks held on the housing issue in recent months.

“I’m confident that next week we will have some really good results and outcomes that will lead to … real change,” he said.

“The other thing the first ministers all emphasised to me is a need to pass the Housing Australia Future Fund.”

If the fund bill is again blocked in parliament later this year it will give Mr Albanese a trigger for a double-dissolution election.

It is expected the national cabinet meeting will deal with inconsistencies in renters’ rights across the country.

Mr Albanese has previously said a rent freeze was outside the Commonwealth’s jurisdiction because it was a state government responsibility, with NSW ruling out the move.

Acting Greens leader Mehreen Faruqi said Mr Albanese “absolutely has the power and the jurisdiction to be able to co-ordinate with states and territories to then implement rent freezes and rent caps”.

Liberal frontbencher Dan Tehan said the rental plan from the Greens was going to make the shortage of apartments available for rent worse.

“What the government won’t discuss is why they don’t have a plan to deal with the 1.5 million people who are heading our way over the next five years,” he told reporters.

“That’s what’s going to put increased pressure on housing, on rates, on congestion, on health and also on the natural environment, and that needs to be part of this conversation.”

Independent Victorian senator Lidia Thorpe, who holds a crucial vote, is pushing the government to allocate 10 per cent of new housing supply to Indigenous people.

Senator Thorpe also wants a standalone Indigenous housing and homelessness plan.

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews said he was happy to share his government’s ideas on how to better protect renters.

Mr Andrews is expected to release a statement canvassing housing reforms in the coming weeks.

Dominic Giannini
(Australian Associated Press)