Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Prime Minister. It would seem it is my turn on this one. It is the same question. We will take it in turns to give you basically the same answer! Those opposite constantly raise prospects of proposals that are not being put forward by the government. What the member is referring to is something that was said back in July in relation to something that was not a proposal of the government. Those on this side of the House have been taking the issue of housing affordability very seriously. I have to just mention that in what we are seeking to do in freeing up supply we on this side of the House are ensuring that there are proper controls on foreign investment in residential real estate.

It is those on this side of the House who have been putting additional resources into the Australian Taxation Office to ensure that we can find those individuals, those foreign residents, who have been seeking to thwart our foreign investment rules to buy properties, particularly in Melbourne. There have been a host of those properties—most recently a week and a half ago there was a $5 million property—that the Australian Taxation Office has been able to identify.

Those opposite scoff. Here is the chief scoffer now.

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