Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

I previously explained the likely impact of a carbon price on housing. I have explained that many of the inputs such as cement, steel, aluminium, et cetera, will be provided with the highest level of assistance under the Jobs and Competitiveness Program—94.5 per cent assistance. I would also say this: when the opposition were in government they had no housing minister and they cut funding to social housing by $3.1 billion resulting in a loss of 33,000 properties. What I suggest to you, Senator, is you might want to make sure that Mr Hockey, in his desperate attempt to claw back some economic credibility and to beat off Mr Andrew Robb for his job, does not come after your portfolio of housing when he is looking for $70 billion.