Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness and Minister for Cities, Senator Ayres. For too long, too many Australians have felt that the housing market is fundamentally broken, that the system is stacked against them and that homeownership is just too far out of reach. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to help more Australians into homeownership?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you to Senator Tyrrell for that question. I can only assume, following Senator Ruston's interjection, that I've been asked to answer a question just to get everybody to calm down a little bit. It's been a little bit noisy. Poor old Senator Gatenby has only been here for a week! He has been trying to interject all afternoon, and you lot have been bellowing over the top of him. We want to hear the quality of his interjections over here! We are really looking forward to an improvement in the quality of the interjections.

This is a government that understands how important housing is to Australians and understands what has happened and what has changed the experience of Australians in terms of the way that they feel about their chances of getting their first home or getting a fair rental deal, getting the opportunity for the security of housing. As a government we have delivered real change, no matter how tough it is.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll come to the policy development unit over there in a minute. It makes a real difference; it's real change for Australians—$47 billion housing package; five per cent home deposits; thousands of social and affordable homes constructed and thousands more on the way; tax changes that fundamentally change the housing market and mean that young Australians, for the first time in a generation—

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Senator Ayres, please resume your seat. My goodness, I am well and truly over the interjections. The rudeness shown, particularly by senators on my left, is quite extreme today. I've called you personally to order. I invite you to leave the chamber. Quite frankly, I've had enough of calling you out. It is disrespectful to me as President.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

I think the sound you just heard was my train of thought being derailed, President! I'll sit down and wait for the supplementary question.

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

Senator Tyrrell, first supplementary?

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Let's get you back on track; we'll get the train back on track. More Australians now finally have a real opportunity to get into homeownership. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to make sure that homes are safe, decent and affordable, whether they're for first home buyers or renters?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

I think I've outlined the sum of our effort in terms of home construction. But Senator Ruston interjects to say, 'What does "decent" mean?' Decent means standards in housing that mean that we have swimming pool safety and barriers; standards around stairs, balustrades and fall prevention; drinking water safety; sanitary plumbing and sewerage; wastewater disposal; ventilation; smoke alarms and emergency exits; bushfire, flood and cyclone prone standards—standards that go to the decency of housing—

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

Minister Ayres, resume your seat. Senator Ruston, I called you during that first supplementary and you completely ignored me, once again showing disrespect to me as the President. I invite you to listen quietly or leave the chamber.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

We have seen around the world, including in the United Kingdom, in the Grenfell housing disaster, what it means when you cut housing standards and think it's okay to put ordinary people, working people, into substandard housing, as Senator Bragg suggested just a few days ago. (Time expired)

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

Senator Tyrrell, second supplementary?

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

The Albanese Labor government is delivering safe, secure and affordable homes around the country. Can the minister outline what approaches to Australia's housing standards might risk the safety and security of prospective Australian homeowners and renters?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

I did wonder whether we'd come to alternative approaches. It seems like just a few days ago that the policy development unit of the Liberal Party was providing his report to the National Press Club. There's more policy development happening over there. For just a few moments, just for these few days, it had a positive effect. It was a little ray of sunshine. The Liberals, who have spent the last 12 months backgrounding against each other, suddenly were backgrounding against one person only just for a few days. What a sense of relief Mr Taylor must have felt. The Liberals finally united against this trickled down wolf in teal clothing over here, Senator Bragg, who—

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

Senator Ayres, withdraw that comment.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw. He did say, 'It's hard to make perfect judgements all the time, but I do my best.' (Time expired)

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

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