Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

Again I thank Senator Bernardi for the supplementary question. In terms of what you have stated on the impact of high levels of net migration and increased demand for housing et cetera, the government does not agree that this is just all about migration. There are, of course, a number of domestic policy settings which are more significant than migration levels, and you would be aware that there are many factors that influence demand for housing and, in turn, housing prices. As I think everybody in this chamber would recognise, it is a complex equation, and it would not be correct to say that immigration is the determining factor in the question. Supply of housing is obviously a key factor when you are talking about domestic policy settings, and this is influenced by a number of things, some of which the Commonwealth government can control but certainly many others of which are in the purview of the states. Planning regulations and supply of new housing stock are far more significant than immigration in determining supply of housing. (Time expired)