Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

While the Greens and Liberals try to block progress, Labor is getting on with the job of building new housing. It's fascinating to hear the Liberals lecture us on housing, considering their history on this issue. Let's take a look back at that. Australia has seen 20 ministers for housing since Federation. The first was appointed by the Chifley government in 1945, but just six years later the Menzies government abolished the role. This back and forth continued, with Prime Minister Fraser abolishing the position in 1980. Labor then reinstated it under Bob Hawke in 1983, only for the Howard government to cut it once more in 1996. When Kevin Rudd was elected Prime Minister, he reappointed the role. Under Liberal leader Tony Abbott, once again, it was abolished. I don't know if anyone else sees the pattern here, but it is clear to me that, every time the Liberal Party takes power, they abandon the federal government's role in housing, just as they did during their last nine years in government.

Labor has a plan for housing, and it's a plan we're putting into action. We are set to deliver 1.2 million homes over the next five years, and the impact is already visible in my electorate. The city of Casey, which Holt covers, has the highest number of new housing approvals in this country. Our $1.5 billion partnership with state and territory governments has fast-tracked infrastructure projects to support new housing by clearing bottlenecks in infrastructure. While building sewers may not be glamorous, it is essential for places like Clyde and Cranbourne West, where infrastructure has lagged behind. This plan is effective—so effective, in fact, that the member for Deakin has decided to copy it.

But our plan doesn't stop there. Labor is investing $10 billion to build 30,000 new social homes and affordable homes. We're addressing the labour shortage with funding to train 20,000 new construction workers, and our commitment to 100,000 fee-free TAFE places per year means we're preparing a skilled workforce, despite the Liberals dismissing all these initiatives as a waste. Through our Home Guarantee Scheme, we've helped 100,000 people buy a home with a five per cent deposit, without needing lenders mortgage insurance. Our $32 billion housing plan addresses every part of the housing pipeline, from infrastructure to affordable ownership. We also want to help Australians to buy homes through our shared-equity scheme, reducing costs for 40,000 Australians.

Why, then, is the frankenstein coalition of the Liberals and the Greens trying to block this plan? Well, the Liberals claimed they have their own plan. What is the first part? It's to copy ours and fund local infrastructure bottlenecks. What is the second part? It's to drain Australians' retirement funds and push up house prices by allowing people to withdraw $50,000 from their superannuation, at a huge cost to their own future. A 35-year-old drawing $50,000 could lose $400,000 in retirement savings. The Super Members Council estimates that the coalition's plan would create a budget black hole costing billions of dollars and be economically reckless. So, before listening to the coalition's plan for housing, ask the member for Deakin who will fill the $400,000 hole in your retirement and who will foot the bill to support you in old age.

I guess the member for Deakin and the coalition do not care. The coalition always wanted to destroy the superannuation system—one of the best retirement schemes in the world—and this is their plan to do it. The Liberals are focused on building homes. We are helping young Australians to buy their own homes. We are building 1.2 million homes by the end of the decade, and we will do this without asking you to drain your retirement savings. This is our commitment to the Australian people.

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