Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for COAG) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness, Senator Evans. Can the minister confirm whether all of the government's promised $112.1 million to be provided to local councils to build infrastructure to support new housing developments under the Building Better Regional Cities program has been locked in? Have contracts been signed for those?

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

I will have to take that question on notice. I do not have that level of specific information about the particular scheme in my brief. I am just not in a position to give a proper answer to the senator's question, but I am happy to take it on notice.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for COAG) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister. Given that the government has a $120 billion black hole in its budget, can the minister guarantee that no funding under the Building Better Regional Cities program for the infrastructure to support new housing will be withdrawn to address that black hole?

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

The first thing to say is there is no budget black hole. Unlike the opposition, the government will provide full details of the government's finances in the midyear economic financial statements. So, when MYEFO is published, all our spending and all our income will be revealed. Unlike the Liberal Party, we also will honour the Charter of Budget Honesty. We will not get a catering company to run around and do the figures for us to try and pretend that our books balance; we will actually produce Treasury endorsed figures that reflect the true state of the federal government's finances. Any decisions to change funding allocations will be revealed in MYEFO or budget decisions. I am not going to rule in or rule out any changes that may be made on any program until such decisions are taken and formally revealed in the normal way.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for COAG) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given that the government's fiscal recklessness has resulted in a $120 billion black hole in the federal budget, that the carbon tax will slug new home builders $5,200 per home and we have a growing housing shortage of over 228,000 homes, how can anyone believe this government when it comes to delivering on its housing commitments?

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

In terms of housing, the first answer is that we actually take an interest. We have a housing minister. We actually have policies. You went for 11 years without a housing minister. That is how important it was to you. The only reason you are shadow housing minister is that we have a minister. You did not think about having one. You did not think it was a priority. This government has invested heavily in housing and homelessness because we actually think it is important.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Evans, you just might resume your seat until we get a little bit of silence in the chamber. When there is silence on both sides we will proceed.

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

The Australian community know which side of politics is interested in housing issues and homelessness.

Also, I would just make the point that the recent assessment of the Australian economy gives us an AAA rating. So while the opposition are out there saying, 'The world is doomed and we are all going to hell in a hand basket,' every economic indicator says the opposite. They are negative, they have nothing positive to say, they have no housing policy and they are in no position to criticise this government.