Gordon Reid (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question goes to the Prime Minister. How does the Albanese Labor government's budget build and deliver on the aspiration of Australians? What have been the responses, and what alternatives are there?

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

I thank the fantastic member for Robertson for his question. Our budget helps with the cost of living. It builds resilience, including during the crisis that's occurred globally as a result of the conflict in the Middle East, through our $14½ billion fuel security plan. But, importantly as well, it backs aspiration, and it's received substantial support for the decisions that have been taken.

Homelessness Australia said this: 'This is a hard-won win for young people who've been failed by a system that catches them in crisis but never houses them.' Westpac's chief economist, Luci Ellis, said: 'I think the tax changes on negative gearing and capital gains are really significant. These are changes that everybody thought were politically impossible. Suddenly a government has dealt with that. It's an intergenerational issue that they are addressing.' St Vincent de Paul said:

For too long, tax settings have disproportionately favoured property investors over first homebuyers and low-income renters.

At the Property Council of Australia, Mike Zorbas said:

… the budget contains strong pro-supply and planning reform measures to bring new homes and communities to life …

The Real Estate Institute say these were 'positive and necessary steps toward addressing Australia's housing shortage'. The Civil Contractors Federation said, 'This funding recognises that housing affordability and infrastructure delivery go hand in hand.' Urban Task Force Australia said, 'The housing budget represents long-needed support for housing supply.' The Urban Development Institute of Australia said, 'This is exactly what we need to deliver more housing supply.' Indeed, it's not just commentators that have backed this in. Of course, the member for Canning had already said: 'I just think we need to overhaul the whole system. We either fix the system or it's torn down by people like Pauline Hanson. No-one's going to reward us for a final last stand for neo-Liberal politics.'

I'm asked about alternatives. Well, Senator Ruston has said, in the other place, 'Australians don't know what we stand for'. Indeed, Australians don't. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, when the former leader was being campaigned against, said this:

We've announced that we're against Labor's energy policy. We've announced that we're against Labor's housing policy, we've announced that we're against Labor's tax policy, and we've announced that we're against Labor's immigration policy.

But what is it that we stand for?

I look forward to seeing the fully costed policies that they have committed to tonight.

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

The Prime Minister's time has expired.

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

On that note, Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.