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. Across the government's housing funds, how many dwellings have now been completed because of Commonwealth support since Labor came to office? What is the number? I'm not looking for how many houses were funded, were approved or are in the pipeline. The question is: how many were completed and are available to occupy?

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

I wish I could ask Liberal senators questions because I would ask Senator Bragg why he, as a moderate, appears to have gone down the path that Scott Morrison was suggesting. It seems to be a very, very atypical—

I would take objection if I were you. I'd be very embarrassed. Where are the moderates?

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

I have a point of order on relevance. This so far has nothing to do with the content of housing.

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

Minister Wong had just started her answer, but I will draw her back to the question.

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

I can understand why you're embarrassed, Senator. I understand why you're embarrassed. I also understand why he's embarrassed too, as someone who has relationships with his community. I will now turn to the numbers that are—

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a point of order. I ask you, President, to ask Senator Wong to direct her comments through the chair.

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

I'm sure that the senator knows that Senator Bragg and Senator Scarr are probably tough enough to handle me looking at them. But what I would say is this: there is a number that is very important, and that number is 373, which is the total number of social and affordable homes that the party you are a part of built in a decade. We are delivering—

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

I have a point of order on relevance. The question was about how many houses have been completed.

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

I think the minister was going to respond to your question.

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

We are getting on with the job of delivering 55,000 social and affordable homes.

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

How many?

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

Five thousand social and affordable homes have been completed through Commonwealth programs. A further 25,000 are in construction and planning, including over 18,000 through the HAFF, and 21,000 more social and affordable homes will be commissioned this year through the Housing Australia Future Fund.

The problem for Senator Bragg is that his is a party that has always believed that government doesn't have a role in housing, so, when he comes in here to have a go at governments doing something about it, people know he comes from a political perspective, which is apparently increasingly right wing. He is from one of the three right-wing parties. He comes from a perspective that says, 'Actually, government shouldn't have to do anything like this.' This is why he has voted consistently against what this government has brought to this chamber to try and ensure we increase supply. (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

In MYEFO 2025-26, the government lifted Housing Australia's borrowing cap from $26 billion to $44 billion. How many additional completed dwellings will that extra borrowing produce and by what date?

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

I'm sure those details are something you will traverse ad nauseam in estimates, but what people will know is that we have completed homes and we have more on the way. What they will know about you is that you do not believe the government has a role in increasing housing supply.

Well, Senator—I'll take the interjection from Senator Cash.

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

That wasn't the question, Senator Wong.

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

It is relevant. It is relevant to the credibility of the housing spokesperson if they don't actually think government should be engaged in increasing supply. That's relevant to your credibility—or lack thereof.

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

On relevance, the question was quite clear about how many dwellings will be built as a result of the extra borrowing.

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

Senator Bragg, I'm sure you're also aware that, if senators interject, it is quite proper for any minister to take those interjections, and Minister Wong was being directly relevant to the interjection. I would advise senators not to make an interjection.

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

We are unapologetic for making the changes that we believe are required to deliver the ambitious housing objectives we have. We are unapologetic for that, Senator. The reality is that we are clear that we are the only party in this place and in this country that is actually wanting to invest in and deliver more housing for Australians.

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

I don't think you know the answer—okay. After orchestrating the largest population surge since the fifties whilst overseeing a historic collapse in housing construction, as well as driving up prices with the five per cent deposit scheme and now higher interest rates, do you now concede that Labor has failed on housing?

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

(—) (): Well, the answer is no. But, again, what I would say, Senator, is that you and your party have consistently opposed every aspect of our housing agenda from woe to go. You are consistent with that. It would be better if you could front up to the Australian people and say, 'Actually, you know what? We don't think that government has a role in ensuring more housing supply,' because that would be a more honest thing to do than coming in here and asking questions, pretending to care. You don't care because you don't actually believe that government should be doing this. We have a different view. We want to build more houses for more Australians because we understand what housing means to Australians. We want to provide more social and affordable housing. We want to add to the private housing supply. And we want to ensure that homeownership is within reach of more Australians. That is the difference between the Labor Party and the divided three parties on the right. (Time expired)