House debates Questions without Notice: Additional Answers

Superannuation

Monday, 16 March 2015 House of Representatives

Joe Hockey

Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer

3:10 pm

I wish to add to an answer. And I want to assist the member for McMahon before we are on Q&A tonight, and refer him to this document: the Australian Labor Party policy document presented by Paul Keating at Bankstown on Wednesday, 24 February 1993. This is where I first heard of the proposal. It said, 'For most people, however—

Mr Clare interjecting —

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker

The Member for Blaxland will desist!

Joe Hockey

Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer

This is a Labor Party document. You want to be president of the Labor Party; you should listen to this. I am trying to help you! It said, 'For most people, however, a debt free home—

Mr Tony Burke

Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order on speaking through the chair. I think it is unlikely that you want to be president of the Australian Labor Party, so if the Treasurer could speak through the chair that would be appreciated.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker

Is that an invitation to take action?

Joe Hockey

Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer

I have absolutely no doubt you do not want to be the president of the Labor Party, Madam Speaker. This is a Labor Party policy document. It says: 'For most people, however, a debt-free home is as important a part of retirement security as superannuation income. Labor will therefore permit all Australians to draw whichever is the greater of $10,000 or 75 per cent of the vested benefit from their superannuation savings as a deposit on the purchase of their home.' That is where it first came from—the Labor Party. I table the document for them and if the Labor Party were not contradicting themselves all the time on these things perhaps they would be part of a proper conversation about how young Australians can get into their first home.