Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. When electricity bills were rising, you pulled together all the states and territories and got parliaments across the country recalled to deal with it. With a fully-fledged rental crisis gripping millions of people around the country who need help right now—not in future, but right now—will you show the same level of urgency and organise a national rent freeze?

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

I thank the member for Melbourne for his question. I do have a proposal to change the Constitution, which we've been talking about here, but that sort of measure would require us to take over from state and territory governments, and the member for Melbourne knows that. One of the things I won't do is promise absolute pixie dust. Because that's what that is. The fact is that the Commonwealth government, and the member knows full well—

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.

The Prime Minister will pause. You will need to state the standing order that you're referring to.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Very clearly, the Prime Minister—is he going to sit down?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister is being in order. I have asked you to state the point of order.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Having sought the call and having been given the call, as is the practice in this House, the Prime Minister should have the courtesy of sitting down, unless the rules don't apply equally in this parliament.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will pause. Unless the Leader of the Opposition states what the point of order is—the standing order—he'll be sat down as well.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Of course it's on relevance, Mr Speaker.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hume! The House will come to order immediately, otherwise people will be excluded from the House. The member for Longman is warned. The Prime Minister will return to the question.

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

Angry Peter is back!

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order. The Prime Minister will refer to members by their correct titles and will continue his answer.

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

He made appearances on corflutes last Saturday, Mr Speaker. He mightn't have been able to go to New South Wales, but we made sure he was there. We made sure he had a big presence. And I'll give you the big tip: he'll be there in Aston, too, on Saturday.

The Greens party ask about housing policy and ask about the cost of housing. I say to the Greens political party: pass our Housing Australia Future Fund. You can't have credibility coming in here and saying: 'We don't think $10 billion is enough. We want $20 billion. Therefore, we'll oppose $10 billion.' It's just absurd to vote for zero rather than to vote for progress. The Housing Australia Future Fund is on top of the Housing Accord, it's on top of the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement, and it's on top of the homelessness plan that we have. It's in addition to Commonwealth rent assistance as well. All of those measures represent a comprehensive plan.

But one of the things that we do not have control over is a rent freeze, and the member knows quite well that we are not able, as a Commonwealth government, to flick a switch and demand a rent freeze. He knows that that is not possible. He knows it's not real, and he should do better than come in here and make statements that we knows can't be delivered. We can deliver something. He can talk to his senators across there and say unblock the filibuster and the nonsense that's around the Housing Australia Future Fund. That will make a difference for emergency housing, and that will make a difference for affordable and social housing.