Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services, Housing, Youth and Women) Share this | Hansard source

Indeed, fortunately the Treasurer does not have selective amnesia. The trouble with the Treasurer is that he spilled his guts in one book. We would like to hear a bit more of it now. We would like to see him have the courage of his convictions in the chamber sometimes.

The reality is that people are paying more of their household income on interest repayments than they ever did under Labor. They are paying 9½ per cent of gross household income on their mortgage interest repayments. The highest level it ever reached under the Keating government was 6.1 per cent. Household debt has doubled as a share of income in the last 10 years; it has tripled since 1989, when interest rates hit 17 per cent. We are the only party which has been talking about housing affordability and solutions to it. (Time expired)

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