Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I see the tactics committee is struggling without Gordon’s contribution! As I said to the earlier question from Senator Scullion, we have invested in the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program in a large way. The program will deliver 750 new houses, 230 rebuilds and 2,500 refurbishments of houses in remote Northern Territory communities. That is a massive commitment to try and address the huge shortage of decent housing in the Northern Territory. We are making a genuine attempt, backed by a large financial commitment. I suggest the opposition, just as I did when we were in opposition, try and support the government’s initiatives to try and tackle these problems rather than try these cheap political attacks. Quite frankly, none of us have got it right so far, and unless we get some sort of common commitment we are not going to get it right this time.