Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

And I don't know how many you have, Senator Dastyari. But the point is this: it's great to hear people talk about how important it is to solve this issue and how awful those who haven't solved it are, but, when you consider the position of privilege we all live in, it's a bit rich to just throw stones the way Senator Cameron has been. As I said, I didn't hear anything by way of an alternative, other than the creation of a new portfolio for the ministry of housing, which I think is ridiculous, although I did have a look at Labor's Positive plan to help housing affordability and I did see this:

… Labor has been working and acting. In March 2015 Labor held a Housing Affordability Roundtable.

I love a good roundtable. It's good to talk. It's good to get through the issues. But it does matter where the rubber hits the road and where action actually comes to the fore and, again, I'm not seeing any of that.

I don't think there's much more to say other than I looked at the Greens' policy, The Greens housing plan: everyone needs a home, which says it is going to generate $51 billion of economic returns to the nation. It is two pages long and there is not much in it. This is an important issue and it is disappointing to hear the lack of substance from those on the other side of the chamber. I commend the bills to the House.

Debate adjourned.