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

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong, and it goes to how many houses have actually been built, not bought or acquired, by the Housing Australia Future Fund? Senator Gallagher previously told the Senate that the HAFF had acquired and converted 340 homes. My question is: is the HAFF still acquiring and converting homes?

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

I'm very pleased to get this question again from Senator Bragg and I'm very pleased to update him. Since last week, we now have more than 5,000 homes, through Commonwealth programs, having been completed since our coming to government.

Senator, I would say two things about your interest in housing policy. Can I say, first, we are very disappointed, as are so many Australians, that your position as housing spokesperson is one of opposing more houses. We are disappointed in that. But one thing I would say, Senator Bragg, is that, at least you, unlike most of your party, have not been prepared to point to migrants and migration in the housing debate. So at least we will respect that. I wish more Liberals would be liberal and take the same view you do.

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

A point of order on relevance: the question was clearly about whether the HAFF was still acquiring and converting houses.

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

I will bring the minister back to the question.

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

As I said—President, through you—I'm very pleased to update the Senate that, since I last gave this answer, last week, we now have had more than 5,000 homes completed through Commonwealth programs since coming to government. That is an update from last week, which was 4,000 homes.

Obviously, we, on this side, believe that adding to the supply of housing is one of the ways in which we can address affordability. It is disappointing that those opposite now complain about housing affordability but stood in the way and continue to stand in the way of adding to housing supply. Of course, we all understand the economics of any market, but certainly housing supply affects price.

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

Minister 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

A point of order, President: the question was clearly about whether the HAFF was acquiring and converting existing houses.

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

Thank you, Senator Bragg. The minister is being relevant to your question. Minister Wong, please continue.

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

As I said, some 5,000 houses have been completed under a range of government programs, Senator Bragg. They include the HAFF projects in Ms Ley's seat and in Mr Hastie's seat, and, in Ms McIntosh's seat, 132 homes in Penrith; in Page, 32 homes in South Grafton; in Moncrieff, 230 homes in Southport— (Time expired)

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

Senator Bragg, a first supplementary?

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

The HAFF was legislated two years ago and its troubles have been well documented, Minister. Has the Prime Minister asked the Housing Australia Future Fund to buy houses to inflate these numbers?

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

Well, President, I don't accept the precursor to that question—the various assertions about the HAFF. As to the primary problem the HAFF has had, you made a set of assertions in your primary question, or your supplementary question, Senator. The primary problem that the HAFF has had is that you stopped it. That's the primary problem. It's hard to get going when you and the Greens team up to stop more houses being built. Every time you come in here and say, 'We're really worried about how many houses are being built. Why are there not more houses being built?' everyone on this side goes, 'There was a problem, which was that you lot said no.'

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

Point of order again on relevance: we're trying to get to the point about whether or not there is acquiring and converting going on and whether the Prime Minister has directed that.

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

The minister is being relevant to your question, Senator Bragg.

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

Again, I would point out that my recollection of the legislation—the finance minister is telling me that she thinks I might be right—is that there are governance arrangements in relation to the HAFF which would obviously be applicable and would be inconsistent with the political assertion you just made. But, Senator, we always come back to this problem, don't we? (Time expired)

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

Does the government concede that, by acquiring and converting at least 340 houses, the HAFF is making Australia's housing crisis worse by competing with Australians?

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

Again, I don't accept the premise of the question that's been put to me. If you are worried, Senator Bragg, about the Commonwealth participating in the market and buying houses because you're saying there's not enough supply, why did you block supply for so long? Why did you block housing supply with the Australian Greens? Let's be really clear. Senator Bragg and Senator Cash want to ask me about housing, but they have never explained to the Australian people, particularly to young Australians, why they stood in the way of more houses for so long.

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