George Campbell (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Minchin, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. I refer the minister to the fact that, instead of his government taking action on the housing affordability crisis, Treasurer Costello wants a taxpayer funded house; Liberal senator Ross Lightfoot thinks that working families should be grateful for what they have; the Liberal member for Paterson, Mr Bob Baldwin, thinks that people expect too much; and Prime Minister Howard thinks working families in Australia have never been better off. At a time when working families spend $1 out of every $3 they earn on mortgage repayments, how could the government be so hopelessly out of touch? Doesn’t this demonstrate why the Prime Minister had to direct government members to stop lecturing and demeaning working families about their expectations and aspirations to own their own home?