Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Last Friday the government made an announcement for $2 billion in payments to the states and territories. Is this payment reflected in the 2023-24 budget, which was delivered just last month?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is in addition to the investments that we are making in the budget paper, and I would say—and we have said it time and time again—that in focusing on cost-of-living pressures, we're working with the states and territories, delivering where we can in partnership to make a difference to the lives of Australians, and we will continue to do so.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order, across the chamber. Senator McKim! Minister, please continue.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister has made it clear and the Treasurer has made it clear that, where we can make a meaningful difference by delivering on easing cost-of-living pressures and easing disadvantage across this country, we will do so. These matters remain ongoing in front of the Albanese government, and, through our cabinet processes, we consider all of these issues in an ongoing sense, and this is no different. We see the need—we see great need—and we have been working with the states and territories. But we've got an obstructionist Senate that's refusing to allow the Housing Australia Future Fund, which is the fund that would allow this to be done, to be supported by legislation in this place. We've got states and territories advocating on their behalf about the pressures they are under, and you have a Commonwealth that wants to work with states and territories to deliver on outcomes for the Australian people. I know this is a novel approach—

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What a novel approach!

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

yes, it is—considering the previous decade, in which the Commonwealth often did not work in partnership with states and territories. But this is a big priority for the states and territories. They have to deliver. They have to deliver on that, and they have two years to deliver on that. This government has committed $2 billion over the next two years to make sure they can invest in extra social and affordable housing to make the lives of people in this country better. We do not apologise for that. It remains on the agenda of every meeting of every committee of this government, how we can deal with some of these pressures and make a difference.

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

Senator Hume, first supplementary?

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, what does the May budget assume the cash rate to be, and what is the current cash rate?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm not sure how that relates to the first question.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a budget question!

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, I'm not entirely sure that they flow on from each other, one being on the social housing affordability accelerator. The cash rate is 4.1 per cent, and I believe the budget was—and I will correct this because I do not have right in front of me—3.85 per cent, from memory. Those forecasts will be updated in the normal way in the usual fashion, as they are, and as they do for every budget, in the next economic update.

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

Minister Wong, on a point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I would request that you review the Hansard and come back to the chamber about the appropriateness of that as a supplementary. If the justification is that it uses the word 'budget', that would have the effect of having anything in the budget supplementary to another part to a question. That cannot be the gravamen of direct relevance. I am just asking you, respectfully, to look at the Hansard and to give us a view about whether the use of the word 'budget' in a primary is sufficient to enable a supplementary which goes to another part of the budget, another aspect of the budget, to make it directly relevant.

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

Thank you, Senator Wong. Senator Birmingham.

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

In making a submission on Senator Wong's point of order, which you're going to consider, I put two points to you. The first relates specifically to this question being asked by Senator Hume, and I think you will find when you review it that both the primary question and the first supplementary question went to the accuracy of budget forecasts. The primary question did not make any comment or seek any response in relation to the policy propositions that the $2 billion was allocated for. It was about the accuracy of budget forecasting, as was the first supplementary, and so I think you will find that they clearly are related.

The second point I would make, though, is that in Senator Wong speaking about tangential relationships, if the word 'budget' is there is that sufficient for further supplementaries? I would note that, in many answers given, ministers take one word out of a question, one particular title out of a question, and use that as their defence for direct relevance, even if it is not clearly responding to the question that has been asked. So it is quite a stretch, in relation to the argument being offered by Senator Wong in this regard. If we want to have a tighter ruling, in relation to questions, the opposition would certainly welcome a tighter ruling in relation to direct relevance of answers.

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

Thank you, Senators Wong and Birmingham. I will certainly review that tape and come back to the chamber. Senator Gallagher, you had 11 seconds.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've answered the question.

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

Senator Hume, a second supplementary?

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This government has put forward forecasts in the budget that haven't lasted a month, has spent money that it hasn't accounted for, just a month ago, and although the Treasurer told Australians in October that inflation was public enemy No. 1 and the dragon we needed to slay, prices have continued to rise unabated. Minister, how can Australians trust this government and what it says about the economy when its own budget is so out of date just one month after it was delivered?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): As I said, the forecasts will be updated as they always are and as they were under your government. I would say Australians can trust this budget because there's $5.7 billion going in to strengthen Medicare; there's $1.5 billion going into the energy price relief plan, which you voted against; there's $4.7 billion going into working-age and student payments, to help give people an extra helping hand; there's $1.9 billion going to extend the parenting payment single, to make sure more single parents are able to support their children for longer; there's $2.7 billion going into Commonwealth Rent Assistance; there's a 15 per cent pay rise for aged-care workers, that you'll be opposed to, no doubt; there's money going into making sure Australia's a renewable energy superpower; and there's money to support outcomes for Indigenous Australians. And, yes, we have increased our offer on social housing because we believe in it. (Time expired)

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.