Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Grey for his question and I congratulate him on his election. I am sure that he would welcome the work that is government is doing in protecting jobs in Whyalla and in his area. It's a great electorate where we are working hard to make sure that we continue to protect that industry, to protect the jobs and to make sure those regional communities thrive—something that my government has focused on in the last few years.

I'm asked about housing. The member suggests that maybe his shadow housing minister was wrong or this was ambiguous, but it doesn't sound ambiguous to me as a result of our announcement. Andrew Bragg, the shadow minister, said, 'We will work to try to stop these crazy ideas coming into existence.' That was actually his response—not something that was supporting it, not trying to claim that they were in favour of it—just like the same shadow housing minister will be trying to disallow progress in the Senate later today in a vote that will be held. Maybe the member can have a word with Senator Bragg, ring him up this afternoon and say, 'Mate, I think you've got this wrong. I think you got this wrong. I think you should back in the government on its policies.'

While they're at it, they can back in our entire Homes for Australia Plan, because it is certainly being backed in by coalition state ministers. Sam O'Connor, the Queensland Minister for Housing and Public Works, has spoken about round 2 of the Queensland Housing Minister, saying:

Round 2 of the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) will support us to build 1,005 new community homes at 17 sites across Queensland.

This new deal is what it looks like when governments work together and focus on outcomes. The Queensland LNP are a bit more supportive of us than they were of some people opposite over the weekend! They were out there trashing net zero to the tune of over 90 per cent, including the National Party leader voting against the Liberal Party leader, showing the chaos that is there opposite. That chaos has brought them to the position they're in today.

We on the side of House will continue to put forward positive policies that make a difference to people, whether that be improving homeownership, improving the number of rentals, improving social and affordable housing, or supporting greater rental assistance. We on this side of the House are focused on the cost of living and on housing. Those on that side just have Liberals fighting each other, the Nats fighting each other, and the Liberals fighting the Nats. We on this side are fighting for Australians; they're just fighting each other.

See this speech in context