Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Can the minister please explain the Albanese Labor government's plans to boost housing supply, help first home buyers and ensure more Australians have a safe and secure home?

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

Thank you, Senator Walsh, for your question. I know how much you have worked for a more just Australia and a fairer Australia, and part of that is housing. Those of us on this side want every Australian to have a safe place to call home. That is why we are investing more—to build more homes, to support renters and to help people buy a home sooner. There is $32 billion worth of initiatives under our Homes for Australia Plan, and a key part of that plan is our landmark Help to Buy scheme. It's a straightforward scheme of shared equity to enable people to get into the housing market earlier than they would otherwise. That scheme was introduced into this parliament some 290 days ago, in November of 2023. It passed the House in February 2024, 200 days ago, but it hasn't passed this place. Why? Mr Dutton and Mr Bandt are working together—that's why it hasn't passed this place. The Liberals and the Greens have come together again to block housing policies, because Mr Dutton simply says no to everything.

I mentioned yesterday that I thought the Liberal Party included in their values homeownership, but they are standing against homeownership. It appears that they don't want homeownership to be enabled for more people. They don't want homeownership for people who come from low- and middle-income backgrounds. What happened to the Liberal Party that they are standing with the Greens in the way of homeownership for more Australians? (Time expired)

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! May I invite those senators who insist upon continuing to interject and call out very loudly to put their names on the adjournment list tonight if they have so much to say? Otherwise, I remind you that this is question time and you will listen in respectful silence. Senator Walsh, a first supplementary?

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister please detail how the Albanese Labor government's housing reforms will ensure there is more social and affordable housing for those who need it?

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

Nine years of those opposite has meant that we don't have enough social and affordable housing in this country. In fact, those opposite didn't even have a housing minister for the majority of their time in government. But what we are doing is working to ensure there is more—

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

Order! Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator McKenzie, I am not quite sure which bit of 'Order!' does not apply to you! Minister, please continue.

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

In the first round of funding under Labor's Housing Australia Future Fund and National Housing Accord plans we are delivering almost 14,000 new social and affordable houses. In fact, in our first term, we are delivering and supporting more social and affordable housing than those opposite did in nine years.

Social and affordable housing is not only good for our economy; it is also the decent thing to do. It's the right thing to do. Unlike those opposite, we don't actually believe that homeownership and decent housing should not be enabled for more Australians. The approach of those opposite is that only some Australians should be entitled to homeownership. (Time expired)

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

Senator Walsh, second supplementary?

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister outline the obstacles standing in the way of more low- and middle-income Australians buying their own home?

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

There are 40,000 low- and middle-income Australians who have as their block to greater accessibility to homeownership the Greens and the coalition. The coalition and the Greens are standing in the way of homeownership for 40,000 low- and middle-income Australians—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's always the politics, Penny, isn't it?

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

I'll take the interjection from Senator McKenzie. We think it's a good thing to give more Australians—40,000 more Australians—the capacity to own their own homes. Only someone from the coalition could think that that was about politics. But let me talk briefly about the Greens. It's interesting that the Greens have consistently voted with the coalition to delay the Housing Australia Future Fund, voted with the coalition to block Build to Rent and voted with the coalition to block Help to Buy. We know also that the member for Griffith is supporting a campaign against 3,000 social or affordable inner homes in his electorate. So, really, who do you actually support? (Time expired)