Coalition Bill Seeks To Block Albanese Government From Selling Victoria Barracks Sydney

On Wednesday 14 October, the Coalition introduced a Bill to the Senate to block the Albanese Government from selling the Victoria Barracks Sydney.

The Bill, entitled Protecting Australia’s Defence Heritage Bill 2026, would give Parliament the power to block the government from selling strategic and historically significant defence assets. It would also require the Minister for Defence to provide a statement in Parliament justifying why the divestment of a defence asset is in the national interest.

The Bill comes after the federal Government announced the Victoria Barracks may be sold, the announcement following an audit which determined the site is no longer strategically critical for Defence.

Greens Join Coalition In Opposing “Fire Sale” of Victoria Barracks

The move to potentially sell the Victoria Barracks to private developers is not only being opposed by the Coalition, but is being met with widespread criticism across the political spectrum.

“Labor is planning to sell off prime public land to developer mates while families can’t afford a home,” said Greens Senator David Shoebridge.

“Victoria Barracks could house hundreds of families in real public homes, flogging it for luxury private developments would squander this opportunity. 

“We built hundreds of thousands of public homes in the past. Defence Housing does it now. After all Labor’s bluster about taking action on the housing crisis, why are they ignoring this critical opportunity?”

Greens spokesperson Barbara Pocock concurred, arguing the Victoria Barracks should remain in public hands as a matter of human rights.

“Labor needs to start treating housing as a human right rather than a game of monopoly, and to make the best use of prime publicly-owned land,” said Pocock.

“Labor can find the money and political will to build public housing for US troops and foreign defence contractors – but not for Australians. Instead it offers a fire sale to salivating developers and privatisation pirate profiteers. We say no.”

Allegra Spender MP Wants The Community To Decide On Victoria Barracks’ Fate

Meanwhile, Allegra Spender MP, the federal member for Wentworth, has released a survey calling on the community to weigh in on the future of the Victoria Barracks.

“My community is very concerned about the loss of Victoria Barracks,” Spender told CityHub, “once divested, it’s gone forever. The site holds so much importance to our military, due to its strategic value and operational uses, but also from a historical perspective as the birthplace of the army.

“A decision of this magnitude shouldn’t be rushed or made behind closed doors, so any move that gives Parliament a proper say over the sale of a site this significant deserves serious consideration.”