Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Senator Watt. Across regional Australia, local communities have concerns about access to secure and affordable housing. One of the biggest things that I'm hearing from regional communities and businesses is that, if we don't fix the housing shortages caused by 10 years of delay, we won't be able to house the skilled workers that we need. Doctors, nurses, teachers and tradies all want to live in our regions, and we need houses for them. What is the Albanese government doing to help Australians buy homes and relieve cost-of-living pressures?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's great that we've got a senator on this side of the chamber that cares about regional housing. The Albanese government understands that safe and affordable housing is central to the security and dignity of all Australians. A decade of no action from the 'no-alition' left us with significant challenges across the country. The result is that housing affordability, once only a problem for our major cities, is now a problem right across the country. Regional businesses and councils have jobs to fill, but attracting the workers they need is difficult because there's a shortage of housing for the workers to live in. The Albanese government, unlike the coalition, is actually doing something about it. We've delivered the largest investment in new affordable and social homes in decades, with the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund and a commitment for 30,000 new social and affordable rental homes in the first five years—opposed by Mr Dutton and the coalition. That's how much you care about housing in regional Australia. You voted against the Housing Australia Future Fund and 30,000 new social and affordable rental homes in just five years. These are the homes that Australia needs, in the regions that they need them.

The HAFF is just part of our government's ambitious housing reform agenda. The Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee, since its launch, has helped more than 13,000 regional Australians to get into homes. Importantly, our Help to Buy scheme will cut the cost of buying a home by up to 40 per cent for low- and middle-income earners, bringing homeownership back into reach for 40,000 Australian households. The Help to Buy scheme is an important part of our housing agenda.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Green, a first supplementary question?

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've heard from constituents who are frustrated that access to affordable housing was neglected by the Liberals and Nationals for a decade. Why is it important that Australians—

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's exactly what they say.

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm sorry, President; I'm the one who is asking the question, and I can hear Senator Hughes over me.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Please continue.

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why is it important that Australians—

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Maybe I can rewrite it so it makes sense.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hughes.

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why is it important Australians have safe and affordable housing? What action is the government taking to get around obstacles to this?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's a great question, Senator Green. As you know, safe and affordable housing is vital, not only to protect our way of life but for the continued economic prosperity of our regional areas.

But, unfortunately, it appears that there is a new alliance in Australian politics, a new coalition that continues to stand in the way of access to housing for Australians. All of a sudden, Senator McKim is looking very guilty. The coalition of the unwilling between the National Party, the Liberal Party and the Greens political party stands like a dam wall to block every effort the Albanese government makes to build new homes. We saw it first with the Housing Australia Future Fund, where the Greens teamed up with the LNP for months to delay $10 billion of housing investment until they were shamed into supporting it. Last week we saw it again when the government tried to move ahead with our Help to Buy scheme. What did the coalition of the unwilling between the Liberals, the Nationals and the Greens do? They pushed it off to April. When it comes to housing, Labor offers help to buy and the coalition of the unwilling just says, 'Goodbye.' (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Green, second supplementary?

Honourable senators interjecting—

Just a moment, Senator Green. Order! Senator Colbeck and Senator McKenzie, when I say, 'Order!' it applies to you.

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, cost of living and affordable housing are at front of mind for all Australians. What barriers do Australians face to accessing housing and much-needed cost-of-living relief, and how does the government intend to remove them?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, Senator Green, the barriers to housing in Australia are around us. They start over that side, and they end just on the other side of Senator Grogan over there. The biggest barrier standing in the way of our progress in developing new housing is this new coalition of the unwilling between the Liberals, the National and the Greens. Let's look at their record. They partnered up last week to vote against stronger immigration laws, they partnered up months ago to vote against the Housing Australia Future Fund, they partnered up to vote against the nature repair bill, and last week they partnered up to delay the Help to Buy scheme. If I were the National Party, I would be a little bit concerned that the Greens might be coming after their spot as the junior coalition partner in this coalition of the unwilling, because we know the Greens have more senators than the National Party, so, on the numbers, the Greens might have the right to provide the Deputy Prime Minister. We've seen conservatives in other countries around the world have a three-way partnership in power sharing. Why wouldn't Mr Dutton do that? Who would go first as Deputy Prime Minister? Would it be Mr Bandt or would it— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. Minister Watt, I've called you about three times.

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

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.