Michael Sukkar (Deakin, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. In 2017 the Treasurer said, 'Any housing policy that doesn't have changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax is just a shocker.' On what basis has the Treasurer directed his department to work on a secret new housing tax?

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

Thanks very much for the question from the shadow housing minister, who doesn't want Australia to build any more homes for people to live in. The irony—

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

The member for Deakin has asked his question. Within seven seconds, there's not a reason to interject. You'll leave the chamber under 94(a). Just show some restraint.

The member for Deakin then left the chamber.

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

I've been asked this question a number of times in the course of the last week or two, and I'm happy to answer it again. I do get advice from my department from time to time on contentious issues, and that shouldn't be seen as unusual. Those opposite did it, too, when they were looking at jacking up the GST and changing negative gearing when they were in office. We've made it really clear that our policy is not to knock off negative gearing or the capital gains discount. That's because, unlike those opposite, we are focused exclusively on building more homes. We are focused on housing supply. As the Prime Minister has said, as I have said and as others have said, we are not convinced that ditching those tax breaks would build more homes, and we want to build more homes in our communities.

We have a housing policy, and that's not part of it. We have tax policies, and that's not one of them. What is common between our housing policies and our tax policies is that elements of both of those are in the Senate right now. If those opposite were serious about housing, tax reform or budget repair they would vote for them in the Senate, not oppose them. I think it speaks volumes about this shadow Treasurer and this opposition that, faced with a severe shortage of housing, with a debate raging on housing policy not just in here but around the country, they would not take any steps to inform themselves of the impact of existing policies. We know why that is, and we know why the shadow housing minister is asking this question. It's because they don't want to talk about inflation falling. They don't want to talk about the fruits of our stabilising our relationship with China. They don't want to talk about the two surpluses this Labor government has delivered after those opposite delivered none.

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

The Treasurer will pause. The member for Wannon on a point of order.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It goes to relevance. This question wasn't about the opposition. It was: on what basis has the Treasurer directed his department to work on a secret new housing tax?

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

The Treasurer was not asked about alternative policies in this question. He was not asked about a compare and contrast. Obviously, he is answering the question about his decisions. If he can frame the remainder of his answer regarding the question he was asked, it would greatly assist the opposition and the House.

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

The point that I'm making is this. They want to focus on what we're not doing, to distract from the progress that we are making with the things that we are doing as a Labor government focused on the cost of living and building more homes and cleaning up the mess that they left behind.