Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Urban Development) Share this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to Senator Minchin, the Minister representing the Treasurer. Is the minister aware that the Victorian Supreme Court figures on mortgage repossessions show a massive 58 per cent increase in writs between 2004-05 and 2005-06? Is the minister further aware that the South Australian Supreme Court figures show that the number of repossession summonses lodged increased by more than one-third between 2004-05 and 2005-06? Is the minister aware that these figures come on top of the New South Wales Supreme Court mortgage repossession statistics showing an incredible 59 per cent increase in judgements between 2004 and 2005—the fastest rise in 16 years? What does the minister have to say to those Victorian, South Australian and New South Wales families who are now at risk of losing their mortgages because of the government’s failure to keep its election promise to keep interest rates at record low levels?