Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Treasury has advised the government that its target to build 1.2 million new homes could not be met, and that it is more than 80,000 homes behind. But instead of cleaning up union thuggery on construction sites to make it cheaper to build houses, the Prime Minister's hand-picked CFMEU administrator suppressed entire sections of a union corruption probe. Prime Minister, why are homebuyers paying the price for Labor's failure to stand up to union corruption?

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

I do thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question, which draws some very long bows. Some very long bows indeed.

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

The member for Wright will cease interjecting.

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

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

The member for Fisher is now warned.

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

There are more first home buyers under Labor than there were under the coalition. We've directly helped more than 220,000 Australians into home ownership sooner. New home starts are up. New dwelling commencements are up 11.6 per cent compared to a year ago. And we're doing something that those opposite never did, which is to actually build social housing. We on this side don't look down our noses at people.

Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Skills and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're building less houses!

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

The member for Wright is warned.

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

We understand that social housing is an important part of what we want to achieve. The Master Builders Australia CEO said:

The 1.2 … is achievable. … for the first time, we've seen a Federal Government actually recognise that they've got a leadership role in resolving this problem. Up until the Albanese Government, we have seen Federal Government say, no, it's the problem of the states, it's the problem of local government.

That's Denita Wawn, the CEO of the Master Builders Australia. We are getting on with the job of building homes for Australians; those opposite are just trying to tear down their own house.