Michael Pettersson said there were real privacy concerns with a register and the idea did not need to be rushed, but his Labor colleagues in cabinet were broadly supportive of the idea to require landlords to provide references from former tenants.

But the opposition slammed the idea, with the Canberra Liberals' housing spokesman, Mark Parton, saying the idea was inappropriate in the middle of a housing crisis and record-low rental vacancy rates in the capital.

"I cannot believe that at this point in the crisis this is what we have from a Labor member. The only thing that this motion calls on the government to do is to force landlords to provide references to tenants. That's it, that's it. There's nothing else," Mr Parton said.

"This motion is actually a joke. And that's how it started. That's genuinely how it started. That's how it should end."

Mr Parton said the Labor and the Greens' support for Mr Pettersson's Legislative Assembly motion calling on the government to explore how mandatory landlord references could be implemented on Wednesday afternoon demonstrated contempt for Canberrans and was a "sign of great embarrassment".

Better Regulation Minister Tara Cheyne told an Assembly debate on the motion the government acknowledged the power imbalance between renters and landlords, and the government would give due consideration to how the system could be implemented.

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Mr Pettersson also hit back at Mr Parton, saying the Canberra Liberals had revealed more about themselves in dismissing the idea out of hand.

"When a landlord asks for references, I think that's a good thing. It allows them to get more information to make an informed choice. I completely understand and am emphathetic towards landlords wanting to make the best choice for their property," Mr Pettersson said.

"Similarly those exact same benefits apply the other way. When you are a tenant, you want to make sure that when you move into a property that the person on the other end of the phone is going to pick up. When there's an urgent maintenance [issue], they're actually going to do it."

The idea for landlord references was most recently floated on TikTok by Sydney-based comedian Tom Cashman, who wanted a reference from a prospective landlord from a previous tenant to convince him it was the right property to move into.

Cashman posted a TikTok video on Wednesday saying he had been vindicated by Mr Pettersson's motion.

"I asked for this a month ago as a joke, and the property manager, Stephanie, told me it was unreasonable and cancelled my application. Now in the ACT it could become illegal not to do it if someone makes the exact same request. Has anyone ever been this vindicated in their entire life?" Cashman said.

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