David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Farrell. According to government analysis, by how much have rental rates gone up since the election of the Albanese Labor government?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for the question. I don't think we want to start this. Certainly I don't want to start this process of trying to score cheap political points.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam President, I think the minister is imputing motives to Senator Van on what was a question entirely seeking a point of fact. Murray is bringing some talking points to the table for Don, but I think you should bring him to order in terms of imputing motives to the senator, who purely asked a factual question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, please resume your seat. I don't believe there was an imputation against the actual senator, so I am going to call the minister and remind him of the question and the need for an answer.

David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance: the minister has gone nowhere near the question, other than—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Van, if you were listening, you would have heard me draw the minister back to the question.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Rather than answering cheap political questions, what I'd like to do is talk about what this government is actually doing in practical terms to put downward pressure on the rental stress that so many Australians are now suffering. Obviously, one of the things that we can do is try and boost the supply of homes to rent and make substantial and significant investment in new social and affordable housing. It's these things, Senator Van, which will result in practical downward pressure on the rental stress on the Australian people at the moment.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I raise a point of order on the question of direct prevalence. This was quite a precise question. I accept the minister is being generally relevant to the question of rental markets and rental affordability, but there was a precise question there about how much rental rates have gone up. If the minister doesn't know, he can take it on notice and provide context, but simply talking around the margins of it is not directly relevant.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Birmingham. I am not privy to what government analysis Senator Van is directing us towards, but I will remind—

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Any would do!

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, please! I have taken your point of order in good faith. I am simply explaining to you that I am not aware how broad or how narrow the government analysis is, but I will direct the minister to the second part of the question.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A little bit of respect from the leader for the chair would be appreciated.

An opposition senator: Seriously?

Yes, seriously—a little bit of respect for the President!

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Van?

David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, direct relevance: the minister cannot just waffle on down a different path.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Van, your leader was on his feet with the exact same question. I have directed the minister to the question.

David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With respect, Chair, he hasn't listened.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No. You've raised a point of order. I've responded to that. Your leader raised exactly the same point of order. I've directed the minister to the question, and it's not for you to debate it with me.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If your side stopped interjecting, then I could answer your question, because we know a lot of people across Australia are struggling— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Van, first supplementary?

David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the success of that one, according to government analysis, how much more is an average standard variable rate mortgage holder paying per month on an average mortgage since the election of the Albanese Labor government?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Van for his supplementary question. Again, I'm not going to get into gotcha questions. The government is trying to put downward pressure on a whole lot of items that are making life difficult for ordinary Australians—

The:

Senator Van?

David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, again, direct relevance: the question was quite narrow in its phrasing, and if the minister doesn't know the answer he can take it on notice and come back to the chamber.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Van. The minister did respond to the question, but I will draw him back to the question again.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We understand the pressures that Australian families are under. We've talked previously, in your previous question, about the issue of rental affordability. Now you're talking about the issue of mortgage rates. We have been working solidly to put downward pressure on all of these items that are affecting ordinary working Australians. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Your second supplementary, Senator Van?

David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the minister has demonstrated that he is unaware of or unconcerned by the cost-of-living pressures faced by Australians, is he aware that Westpac Business Bank forecast that advertised rents will increase by 11.5 per cent in 2023? Minister, is it correct that this will be the biggest annual increase on record?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I completely reject your proposition, Senator Van. This is a government that's deeply concerned about cost-of-living issues facing ordinary Australian people. Every day we focus on how we can put downward pressure on the cost of living, based on the financial mess that you left us and that we inherited when we came to government almost 12 months ago. Australians are facing these issues because of the inaction and the neglect of the former government with respect to all of these issues. Bit by bit, inch by inch— (Time expired)