Fatima Payman (WA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, Senator Gallagher. Minister, the great Australian dream of owning a home has turned into a nightmare, particularly for young Australians. Successive governments have introduced schemes aimed at making homes affordable, but these ill-conceived interventions often do more harm than good. The latest Help to Buy scheme is just another bandaid solution that will pour more money into an already overheated real estate market. When will this government address the real villain of housing unaffordability, which is negative gearing, and make the necessary changes to our tax system to stop wealthy investors from hoarding our precious housing stock and make it easier for Australians to own a home?

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

I thank Senator Payman for the question, and I see that Senator Payman has changed her position on policies like Help to Buy from when she sat on this side of the chamber. We took—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

It's the first I've heard—

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order. Minister Gallagher, please resume your seat. Order on my left!

Senator Canavan! I've called 'order'. Minister Gallagher, please continue.

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

It was part of the suite of policies that we took to the election campaign, as you know, Senator Payman, and when we go to the election with a series of policies, we implement them in government, and that is what we are doing. But we are doing more than that.

Whilst I acknowledge Senator Payman's speech yesterday on negative gearing, we have no plans to change negative gearing arrangements, and I have to say: that would not deliver one extra house, right now, which is what needs to happen. What needs to happen is: we need to build more houses. We need to increase the supply of housing, and that will allow more people to buy housing, which is why—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Those opposite might think it's funny. They may think it's hilarious that people are struggling to buy housing. But we think it needs policies—

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Minister, please resume your seat. Order on my left. Order! Minister, please continue.

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

We have set ourselves the target of 1.2 million homes by the end of the decade. We are backing that up with policies. We are backing that up with working with the states and territories on their planning reforms, on ensuring that they're getting rid of bottlenecks for approvals, and through our Housing Australia Future Fund and through our Social Housing Accelerator, with new housing opening all the time. That is the focus that this government brings to housing. We will continue to implement our policies. We will continue to work with the states and territories, because we know that it's supply that we need to address, to make sure that people can get into the housing market. (Time expired)

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

Senator Payman, first supplementary?

Fatima Payman (WA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, I've heard from many constituents, including Clare from Perth, who's a single parent, working part-time and raising her son, and she's told me that she feels there has been no progress in alleviating the housing crisis. Will this government at least act on this rort by capping negative gearing to investment in new housing?

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

As I said—and I refer to my previous answer—we have no plans to change negative gearing arrangements, but we have invested $32 billion into increasing the supply of housing in this country—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

that those opposite think is so funny. They are important investments that the Commonwealth government needs to make into housing after a decade of complete and total utter failure of the former government to invest or show any interest at all in housing, particularly social housing and housing for single parents, like the ones that you raised, Senator Payman. It's going to be through the increase in supply of social and affordable housing that we're able to help constituents, like the one that you raised.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You couldn't even put a tent together.

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

Senator McGrath, your constant interjections are incredibly disorderly and disrespectful. I've called for silence numerous times. Senator Payman, second supplementary?

Fatima Payman (WA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Another constituent, Victoria, who lives in the seat of Hasluck reached out about how the current housing market is rigged against young people and working families. When will the government address the issue of foreign investors buying up large numbers of Australian homes, driving prices beyond the reach of everyday working families?

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

I didn't expect that question, Senator Payman—I have to say that. It's a very similar question to the question that Senator Roberts, member of One Nation, asked me earlier in the week about foreign ownership of housing, and the evidence is very clear on that. It is a very, very small percentage of housing that is bought. I can't recall the number I gave Senator Roberts, but it was absolutely minuscule in terms of housing. There are also strict conditions on it. If you are to purchase housing, you need to live in it, for example. I'm more used to those sorts of questions coming to the government from One Nation. Foreign ownership and foreign investment in housing—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Well, it's true. On that issue, it is. It's a very small part, and it's often thrown out there as a cause of housing pressure for Australian people to buy into housing. It is simply not the case. We need to build more housing in this country, and that's what the government will do.