David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, Senator Farrell. Minister, new research released today has found that seven out of 10 renters and mortgage holders are now in housing stress, and one in three lack confidence that they can afford their housing costs over the next 12 months, yet here we are a couple of months out from the end of Labor's first term and you still haven't released the promised national housing and homelessness plan, and you won't support my bill to legislate one, despite 72 per cent of people supporting such a plan. Minister, you understand the importance of numbers. With this kind of support, why won't you legislate a plan?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Pocock for his question. I acknowledge that on many occasions Senator Pocock has asked me questions about the issue of housing and homelessness, and I respect his interest in this topic. But, in terms of a plan: as you say, we are still working on that plan. We want to make sure that we get the plan right and that we don't make the wrong decisions in this space. That's why, as a government, we have been consulting all of the stakeholders to come up with the right plan. But we haven't just been sitting on our hands, Senator Pocock. I—

Senator Cash, we haven't been sitting on our hands.

No, we haven't been sitting on our hands. We have been doing things to address the 10 years of neglect by your government, Senator Cash. Can I read out some of the things that we've been doing in this space. Would you like to hear that? We've made the single biggest Commonwealth investment in social and affordable housing in more than a decade. Of course, that period takes into account your period in government, Senator Cash—but the biggest single Commonwealth investment in social and affordable housing. Then under the Housing Australia Future Fund and the National Housing Accord, 40,000 new social and affordable homes will be delivered. This includes— (Time expired)

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, we learnt, in a response to a question on notice over the summer, that the government's National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, who has been advising on the plan, is not in fact measuring for unmet social and affordable housing need. Does the government believe measuring unmet need is essential to formulating an effective plan to meet that need?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Pocock for his first supplementary question. We understand that housing and homelessness are important issues in the Australian community. I started to explain, in my first answer, Senator Pocock, some of the things that this government is doing in that space. We recognise that it's a problem. We recognise that it's a concern for many, many Australians, but we also recognise, as a government, we've got an obligation to do something about it.

I mentioned two of the things: the biggest Commonwealth investment in social—

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

Minister Farrell, please resume your seat. Senator Pocock, a point of order?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance. I asked specifically about whether or not we need to measure unmet need to meet unmet need?

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

Yes. I'm happy to draw the minister back to your question, Senator Pocock. Minister, please continue.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am explaining the way in which we deal with this issue of need in our community. We have doubled the Commonwealth's homelessness funding, under the $9.3 billion national agreement on social housing and homelessness, to $400 million each and every year— (Time expired)

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

Senator Pocock, second supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, you pointed out that I've asked you about this a few times. In October last year, you said:

We are working with the states and territories as we speak. The new minister, Clare O'Neil, is working very hard to get movement on that project.

I'm interested in why there's been no movement in six months. Surely housing is as important, if not more important, than more money to the major parties to keep Independents and minor parties out of the parliament.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Pocock for his second supplementary question. I'm not sure what the link between keeping Independents and Teals out of the parliament has with the issue of housing. But can I say this: we've got a terrific minister in this space, and they are working with the states and the territories to get best possible result for the Australian community. If these things were easy to fix, Senator Pocock, somebody else would have already done it and we wouldn't have issues of housing.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Are you for real?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

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

Well, you did nothing for a decade.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For that wasted decade, when you did nothing. We are trying to fix— (Time expired)