Mary Doyle (Aston, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. How is the Albanese Labor government getting on with the job of delivering more affordable housing for Australians and the economy, after a wasted decade?

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks to the member for Aston for her question but also for caring so deeply about people in her community looking for affordable properties, and particularly the renters in her part of the world.

We'd a really important development today, as the Senate cleared the way for the next stage of the consideration of the Housing Australia Future Fund, and we thank those in the Senate who were prepared to support the HAFF so that we could get this moving. This is the biggest single investment in social housing since the member for Sydney was the housing minister over a decade ago, and it is part of a broad and ambitious agenda that we have for housing. It's an important part of our housing plan, but it's not the only part of our housing plan.

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

Order. The Treasurer will pause. The member for Deakin is continually interjecting again, today. He had a good go yesterday. He's going to remain silent for the remainder of this answer, to assist me hearing the answer. The Treasurer has the call.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On top of the Housing Australia Future Fund, across our first two budgets, this government and this Prime Minister have committed in excess of $8 billion in new funding to deliver more houses, more supply and more relief for renters, because we want more Australians to have the security and the dignity of a decent home and a decent roof over their head. Yesterday, the Minister for Housing launched the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council's report into barriers to institutional investment in housing, and that report sets out a range of ways that we can help get more investment in housing in this country, but we are already taking a number of steps across a number of fronts. We are working with the states and local government—

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

Order. The member for Casey will cease interjecting.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and the institutional investors and the industry to unlock more supply through our National Housing Accord and our national housing target. As the minister said yesterday, the Housing Australia Future Fund will provide a secure income stream that will give institutional investors the certainty that they need to invest.

Now, we know that inflation and cost-of-living pressures, including in housing, are still the biggest challenge in our economy. We understand that people are under the pump—

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

The Manager of Opposition Business will cease interjecting.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and that applies to people struggling to find a roof over their head as well. This is a longstanding challenge, but we are taking decisive action across a range of areas. We have had a wasted decade when it comes to investment in housing, and we are doing our best to turn that around and to clean up the mess that we inherited. We are working to get more homes, more supply, making it easier to own a home, and also taking some of the sting out of these higher rents, with the biggest increase in Commonwealth rent assistance in three decades. We know, of course, there is more work to be done, but this is a government which is working for Australia, delivering billions of dollars as investment in housing, building more homes and more supply and helping to ease the pressure on renters. That's why, despite all of that effort, it beggars belief that, in the Senate today, those opposite voted for fewer homes and more homelessness and higher rents. We are cleaning up the mess they left behind.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! There is far too much noise on my left. The member for Wannon is continually interjecting—yes, you—throughout the answers. When I call you, that means cease interjecting. If it continues on, you'll get warned, and then you will leave the chamber. I hope everyone is clear on the process after this time.