Steve Hutchins (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I wish to take note in particular of the answer given by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Minchin, to a question put to him by Senator Sherry. Last Friday I had the opportunity to address a seminar put on by retirees concerned about what the future holds for their grandchildren. I was among a number of speakers who addressed the seminar, which had about 40 or 50 people at it. One of the other people who addressed the seminar was Michael Crews, who is an officer of the Exodus Foundation in Sydney. I know Michael and his father quite well. Michael made the point that, from his experience and from facts that he is well aware of, any one of us is only one illness or two pay packets away from poverty. As I said, he gave that address on the basis of his experience with that marvellous foundation. It was with distress that I became aware, as we all did, of the figures released yesterday containing the rise of mortgage repossessions in my state, New South Wales. I want to particularly refer to the area where I live, out in Western Sydney.

One of the real estate agents in Western Sydney, who is on the Reserve Bank board’s liaison network, said that they had reported a 400 per cent increase from the previous year in mortgagee sales. That sounds an astounding figure. I will bring it down and make it clearer. That represents 25 homes in Penrith that were repossessed. That is a 400 per cent increase on the previous year, when six homes were repossessed. In that 12-month period, 18 families had effectively been kicked out. I am sure you and I, Mr Deputy President, are well aware of the distress, the suffering and the pain that is caused by these actions which have occurred. The dislocation of families that inevitably results from what has come about is something that we should all be ashamed of and attempt to do something about.

I was disturbed at the fashion in which the minister answered Senator Sherry’s question. I have always felt that whenever Senator Minchin replies to a question from us he actually attempts to answer it, unlike other ministers. However, today we were beaten up by facts and figures that I felt had no connection to what we were trying to highlight—and that was the fact that families are in distress.

Why are they in distress? Because since 2004 there have been four interest rate rises, I think it is. That is what is happening out in the western suburbs of Sydney. People are being kicked out of their homes. That figure of 25 may not represent many people, but that is a significant increase from the previous year. I am well aware, like many of my other colleagues who live in those areas, that the home prices have been reduced significantly in that 12-month period. I am also aware of other stresses occurring in families as a result of the actions, or inactions, of this federal government. I am disturbed, as I said earlier, at the cold and heartless manner in which Senator Minchin answered Senator Sherry’s question. (Time expired)

Question agreed to.