Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm sorry that my questions aren't going to be as funny as Senator Farrell's answers, but we'll certainly make a go of it! My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Four weeks ago I asked you, 'How many houses have been completed by the Housing Australia Future Fund?' You said at the time that you would find the information out and you would report back to the Senate. Can you please now advise how many houses have been completed?

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

I'm very grateful—

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Multiple!

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

Many houses have been completed. That's a very good answer, Senator Scarr, and I thank you very much for that. Senator Bragg, I will go through a few of the figures. As you know, we are getting on with the job of delivering 55,000 social and affordable homes. I'm advised that over 28,000 are in planning and construction—18,000 of those through the HAFF and National Housing Accord Facility and 10,000 through other programs. I would make the point, Senator, that you seem very interested in tracking the progress of a fund that you opposed and you were going to scrap.

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

Senator Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Bragg?

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sorry to trouble you, but it is a point of order on relevance. The question was quite clear about it being on the number of houses that have been completed. In case you didn't hear, it's about the number of houses completed.

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

I think the minister is being relevant to the question, Senator Bragg.

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

I outlined in my first response the answer that I was giving Senator Bragg. But, Senator, you can't get away from your position to oppose the HAFF—to oppose any houses being built—by saying, 'It's not relevant to my question.' I think it's pretty relevant to the Australian people—don't you? I reckon the Australian people, those who are concerned about housing affordability, might think that the housing spokesperson position, which is to oppose any houses being built under the HAFF is relevant to a question on housing. This is your problem, Senator Bragg. Your party opposes governments engaging in the housing sector in order to increase supply. We believe that supply is a part of how we—

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

Senator Bragg?

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a point of order on relevance. We just wanted to know the number of houses completed, please.

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

The minister has started her response and given you a host of numbers, Senator Bragg. Minister?

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

Thank you, President. I would invite the opposition leader in the Senate perhaps to behave appropriately towards you. Senator, what I would say to you is, as I said, we have 18,000 homes through the HAFF and the National Housing Accord Facility. Over 28,000 social and affordable housing in planning. If you'd like to ask me which houses you're opposing, I'm very happy to go through a list of those. (Time expired)

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

Senator Bragg, first supplementary?

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is: how many houses have been completed, Minister Wong? That's the question.

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

Again, what I would say is 28,000 social and affordable homes are in planning and construction. The number of houses that we have is way more than would ever have been built under you.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Oh, we have three at once!

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

I'm waiting for silence. Senator Cash?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a point of order in relation to direct relevance. I know the minister has probably acknowledged the question, so maybe that falls into direct relevance, but it was pretty clear—a pretty direct question. 'How many have been completed?' If the minister doesn't know after four weeks, she should just say so.

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

Minister Wong, I will bring you back to the question.

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

I will give the opposition a number, and it's 80,000—the number of homes you're opposing with your disallowance.

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

Senator Bragg, second supplementary?

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We'll take it from that that you don't know the answer. There was an answer given—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Just a moment, Senator Bragg. Order!

Senator Henderson, which part of 'order' doesn't apply to you?

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The housing minister, Ms O'Neil, has, in the recent past, said to the ABC that the HAFF had in fact completed more than 2,000 homes. Is that number correct, and, of those 2,000 homes, how many were built by the HAFF and how many were acquired?

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

I don't have in front of me the—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order!

Senator Paterson! Again, which part of 'order' doesn't apply to you?

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

What I was going to say, Senator Bragg, about the interview to which you were referring, was that I'm sure Ms O'Neil was correct. She's a very competent minister and very energetic. What I would say to you, Senator, is that you persist in asking questions about a fund you oppose. So can everyone just understand the number of homes to be built if Senator Bragg were in Clare O'Neil's job—zero. That is the number of homes that would be built were you in the housing portfolio, Senator Bragg. It is disappointing that we see the coalition not having listened to the Australian people and continuing to take a position which is against houses being built. Why is it that your first housing policy of this term is to block 80,000 homes for Australians? (Time expired)