Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Home Ownership) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, Minister Gallagher. The government has delivered four budgets where it has announced the same housing policies which have built zero new houses. Does the government understand the definition of 'insanity'?

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

Minister Farrell.

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

President, I'm the person responsible for—

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

Just a moment, Senator Farrell. Senator Bragg has called Minister Gallagher. Senator Bragg, do you wish the question to be transferred to Minister Farrell?

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Home Ownership) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Do you want me to do it again?

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

I will address the question. Could you repeat it to the Minister representing the Treasurer, which is not the Minister representing the Minister for Housing.

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

Thank you. Start again, Senator Bragg.

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Home Ownership) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer—if you would prefer—who I believe is Minister Gallagher.

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

Thank you, Senator Bragg, and just ask the question again.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! We're not chatting across the table.

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Home Ownership) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He's asking me questions. I'm just trying to help.

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

Senator Bragg, ignore the interjections. I will manage the chamber. I've invited you to ask the question to the correct minister. Please put the question.

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Home Ownership) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. I'm just trying—

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

Senator Bragg, I don't need your help. Address the question to Minister Gallagher.

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Home Ownership) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My apologies. The government has now delivered four budgets in which it has announced the same housing policies which have built zero new houses. Does the government understand the definition of 'insanity'?

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

It's day 1 after the budget, and we have questions of that calibre. My view of the definition of 'insanity' is, when they were in power, those opposite did nothing on housing for a decade. That's what I think. It's not only insanity but a complete abrogation of responsibility. They didn't have a housing minister for most of it, didn't do anything about supportive housing, didn't do anything about affordable housing and didn't do anything to provide the housing stock that this country needs.

They did absolutely nothing, and then worse, once they're in opposition, once they'd been booted out because they failed to deal with a whole range of policy areas including housing, they systematically vote against everything we are trying to do to improve the housing supply in this country—every single time. They not only voted to oppose it but voted to delay it. Then, once they'd delayed it, they criticised the fact that it's not building enough houses. This is the sort of incoherent and irresponsible approach from those opposite, and this is a real indication of how they would behave if they were elected into government. This is what we are seeing—these kinds of student union questions from Senator Bragg, as opposed to serious engagement on an issue like housing, which is a serious issue that most people care deeply about.

We have $33 billion on the table. We are building thousands of houses right now. They are under construction all around the country—no thanks to you, because you've opposed this every single step of the way. Where we have proposed sensible policies, you have sat back and opposed them, you've criticised them, you've delayed them and you've complained about them, and then, when it hasn't built the houses, you criticise that as well. (Time expired)

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

Senator Bragg, first supplementary?

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Home Ownership) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last night, the Treasurer's budget speech said that '1.2 million new homes' will be built 'before the decade is out'. Every single private economist and even the Treasury know that this target is a dead duck. Why is the government constantly misleading the Australian people?

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

I do not accept that for a moment. The 1.2 million target is an ambitious goal, but it's one that we are prepared to back up with policy solutions, with investments, with working with state and territory governments and with working with local governments to deliver the housing stock that this country needs. And do you know what? It stands in stark opposition to any housing policy that you have, which is essentially, as I understand it, to encourage young people to ransack their super in order to inflate housing prices across the country. If you want to quote economists, have a look at what most of them say about that policy: that it's insanity, not only because of the burden on the age pension but because of the fact that you would singlehandedly reduce young people's superannuation savings and inflate house prices at the same time. Only this coalition could dream up a policy solution like that after doing nothing for the almost 10 years that they were in power.

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

Thank you, Minister. Senator Bragg, second supplementary?

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Home Ownership) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No-one believes that. The Treasurer also said last night that the Housing Australia Future Fund is 'helping to build about 18,000' houses. We all know that the HAFF is virtually on a duck. When will this Labor government build its first house and start correcting its miserable housing record?

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

Here we have it again. They come in here and they say they care about cost of living, and then they vote against tax cuts. They now come in here and criticise the HAFF when they voted against it and voted to delay it, and now they say, 'How many houses have you built?' after they spent a year and a half blocking the passage of that bill that set up the Housing Australia Future Fund. Round 1 is under negotiation now, which is actually, considering the time the Senate delayed the passage of this bill—and we never got it through with your support anyway. We had to completely bypass you because you continued to oppose it. You say you're going to abolish it. That's your policy, and now you're complaining that it hasn't built enough houses. Well, I'll tell you what: if you get into government, there will be thousands fewer houses than what the HAFF is actually building right now, and you need to explain that.