The government will instead "reaffirm its commitment" that all public housing meets health and safety standards.

Housing Minister Yvette Berry moved the amendment to Liberal housing spokesman Mark Parton's motion.

The amended motion requires the ACT government to continue its stocktake of public housing dwellings to determine their condition and future.

The amended motion calls on the ACT government to "explore options to provide further support to local industry through public housing maintenance and upgrades", rather than commit to a repair program as proposed by the Liberals.

Housing Services Minister Rebecca Vassarotti, who backed Ms Berry's motion, said the bar for the contractor tasked with maintaining the ACT's public housing portfolio is set unapologetically high. "Everyone in the ACT has the right to a decent home, and the role that Housing ACT plays in providing homes for people in the ACT can not be overstated," Ms Vassarotti said.

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Mr Parton, who had earlier said the issue of substandard public housing was one of human rights, voted against the amended motion along with the Liberal opposition.

Public housing dominated question time in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, as the opposition sought to highlight housing shortages and maintenance issues with government-owned dwellings.

Ms Berry hit back at the repeated questions.

"If every state and territory invested in the same way that the ACT government does in public housing renewal and growth across the country, we would have significantly less people experiencing homeless or rough sleeping across the whole country," she said.

"This is not something the ACT can do alone."

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