Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

Referring to economic research, my question is to the Treasurer. Does the Treasurer stand by his statement that a substantial proportion of pink batts to be installed in up to 2.2 million homes will be made in Australia? If so, how does the Treasurer explain this report from Citigroup—economic research—which states that the Rudd plan on pink batts:

… far exceeds domestic capacity to supply—

and that—

To implement the Rudd plan, vast imports may have to be ordered.

Moreover, the research states:

If the Rudd plan gets implemented, CSR could permanently lose this end market in 2.5 years.

Treasurer, why is it a good idea for the government to put Australian taxpayers into debt in order to put Australian workers out of a job? I seek leave to table this report.

Leave not granted.

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