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

Those opposite sat on this side of the chamber for nine years. John Setka, during that period, increased his influence over the CFMEU. They did absolutely nothing. I'll tell you what I did after I became leader of the Labor Party. I expelled John Setka within weeks. That's what leaders can do when they lead their party with authority, when they actually have people behind them, as part of their party, who are working for them and not undermining them. That is what we did on this side of the House, which is why we were able to take strong action when we came to government. We took strong action to intervene, to insert the administrators, which has seen people leave that union and the industry.

When it comes to our target, construction cost inflation has fallen from a half-century high under the coalition. Housing construction costs were rising at 17 per cent when we came into office; now they're 1.8 per cent.

Mr Wallace interjecting—

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