Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

about the cost of living, the impact of inflation, and housing and energy policy. Indeed, we had legislation last December about energy policy. We had the cap on gas and on coal—gas here, coal in New South Wales and Queensland. That made a difference in halving the wholesale price that was predicted at the time of the October budget. We also had a $1½ billion energy price relief plan, which the Deputy Leader of the Opposition voted against. But we voted in favour of it, and that will be included in the May budget.

But there is an opportunity for redemption. I always believe that people can redeem themselves. I have that faith. The nuns at St Joseph's, Camperdown, taught me that. They did. And there's an opportunity on housing, with the Housing Australia Future Fund, to actually do something about housing policy. The HIA, the Housing Industry Association, said it supported 'the government's goal to build 30,000 social houses and believes it's a worthy goal to get behind'. It said, 'More supply means cheaper rents.' The Deputy Leader of the Opposition says that that is irrelevant. I actually think it isn't irrelevant at all going forward. Fortunately, some over there—

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