Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. It is a very important question. I can tell him that the Australian Bankers Association has said that banks are not foreclosing on customers due to the release of the guide. So, if he has some further information that he would like to give to me, I would be very happy to follow up on that. This is a serious question. I do take it seriously, so if there is further information that would, if you like, add an extra view to what the Australian Bankers Association is saying I would certainly be pleased to hear that.

The government does have a commitment to the security of people who live in the basin. We have a commitment to the security of families and we have a commitment to environmental sustainability, because the two are linked, and to pull the two apart is simply not possible. Everybody knows how difficult an issue this is—whether you come from Queensland or whether you are living in South Australia or any point in between. The government takes these issues seriously and I would be happy to follow them up if there was any further information.

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