Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

First, the independent investment decision-making of the Future Fund will continue—that's that first point. They are a very big investor, as you know, Senator. I'm interested in this second supplementary question, because the first two questions were, 'This is a dreadful thing,' and the third is, 'But it won't make any difference.' The reality is, Senator Birmingham, if you go out and say to Australians: 'We've got an independent fund. It will make its decisions independently but we think it should consider these national priorities in making those investment decisions, and those national priorities are residential housing,' what do you think people are going to say? Do you really think people are going to say, 'This is such a dreadful idea,' Senator Birmingham? That appears to be the position of the coalition. Yet again, we see that the coalition, when it comes to the economy are a reckless opposition, not an opposition that's up to responsible management of the economy. (Time expired)