Josh Wilson (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. How is the government's commitment to the National Reconstruction Fund, the Housing Australia Future Fund and the safeguard mechanism delivering on its election commitments? How are these policies being received by stakeholders, and is there any opposition?

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

I thank the member for Fremantle for his question which goes to the fact that the Australian people voted for change on 21 May last year. They voted for a government to implement the Housing Australia Future Fund, to implement the National Reconstruction Fund and to implement a fair dinkum version of the safeguard mechanism, which was, of course, designed by the Abbott government.

They voted for a government that would invest, firstly, in affordable housing for veterans and frontline workers and 4,000 households of women and children fleeing domestic violence. I am pleased that the member for Bass has announced her support for this program. I don't know why anyone would stand in the way of increased investment in social and affordable housing for Australian people, including the most vulnerable people in our community.

They also voted for a government that would invest in Australian manufacturing—secure jobs, new industries and making our future here. We know from the pandemic that Australia needs more resilience. We need to make sure that we deal with supply chain issues. It's one of the issues that is feeding inflation in this country. We know that a majority of these jobs through the National Reconstruction Fund will be created in regional Australia, and that is why it is worthy of support as well.

But they also voted for a government that would end the climate wars, that would move Australia forward. Our plan to fix the safeguard mechanism has been endorsed by industry and business—Origin, Rio Tinto, Shell, Woodside, the BCA, the Australian Industry Group, ACCI, the National Farmers Federation and the Minerals Council.

I am also asked if there is any opposition to these plans. On every issue, whether it be manufacturing, whether it be housing or whether it be dealing with the challenge of climate change, those opposite have just one answer. The coalition have become the 'no-alition' once again, saying no with no improvements—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I will hear from the Manager of Opposition Business.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, you have previously ruled on the use of that term the Prime Minister used and he should be asked to withdraw it.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will ask the Prime Minister to continue with his answer and not to refer to the coalition except as 'the coalition'.

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

I will if they stop saying no! They are certainly not a 'yes-alition'—they are certainly not that—because they say no to housing, they say no to secure jobs, they say no to manufacturing and they are saying no to the safeguard mechanism regardless of the fact that people out there are saying that it should be supported. They want the next decade to be like the last decade, with climate wars, with delays, with denial. We have positive plans for Australia. I say this: if you've got no plans of your own, just get out of the way.

Government members: Hear, hear!

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I would like to hear the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in absolute silence.