Garth Hamilton (Groom, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to contribute to the debate on the motion put forward by the member for Macnamara. Home ownership has always been a pillar of coalition governments. It dates to the very beginnings of the Liberal Party, as Sir Robert Menzies outlined in his 'Forgotten People' speech. We now call this the great Australian dream. Menzies said:

The material home represents the concrete expression of the habits of frugality and saving … one of the best instincts in us is that which induces us to have one little piece of earth with a house and a garden which is ours; to which we can withdraw, in which we can be among our friends, into which no stranger may come against our will.

It's like poetry, isn't it? He continues:

The home is the foundation of sanity and sobriety; it is the indispensable condition of continuity; its health determines the health of society as a whole.

So I'm in fundamental agreement with the member for Macnamara. We see eye to eye—both being six foot six—on the initial point that every Australian should have access to safe and secure housing, but that's as far as it goes. Having a job is a crucial factor in being able to break free from the cycle of homelessness. In the growing city that is Toowoomba, this is an issue that we see amongst us every day. It's an issue that is being addressed by good people, like those who run the 2nd Shot cafe who are bringing homeless people into work. It is wonderful work that they are doing, but the fact of our unemployment falling so sharply clearly refutes the claim that the government is not addressing this issue. To suggest that the federal government is not pulling its weight on housing tells me the member for Macnamara is blind to the tradies driving utes through the streets of regional towns and cities—new utes bought under the—

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