Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

It's day 1 after the budget, and we have questions of that calibre. My view of the definition of 'insanity' is, when they were in power, those opposite did nothing on housing for a decade. That's what I think. It's not only insanity but a complete abrogation of responsibility. They didn't have a housing minister for most of it, didn't do anything about supportive housing, didn't do anything about affordable housing and didn't do anything to provide the housing stock that this country needs.

They did absolutely nothing, and then worse, once they're in opposition, once they'd been booted out because they failed to deal with a whole range of policy areas including housing, they systematically vote against everything we are trying to do to improve the housing supply in this country—every single time. They not only voted to oppose it but voted to delay it. Then, once they'd delayed it, they criticised the fact that it's not building enough houses. This is the sort of incoherent and irresponsible approach from those opposite, and this is a real indication of how they would behave if they were elected into government. This is what we are seeing—these kinds of student union questions from Senator Bragg, as opposed to serious engagement on an issue like housing, which is a serious issue that most people care deeply about.

We have $33 billion on the table. We are building thousands of houses right now. They are under construction all around the country—no thanks to you, because you've opposed this every single step of the way. Where we have proposed sensible policies, you have sat back and opposed them, you've criticised them, you've delayed them and you've complained about them, and then, when it hasn't built the houses, you criticise that as well. (Time expired)