QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator AYRES (New South Wales—Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science) (14:25): Thank you very much, Senator Brown. This budget is landmark Labor reform. This is a government that, in this budget, isn't doing the easy or convenient thing.

We are doing the right thing for Australians, particularly young Australians, by getting more Australians into their own homes. Too many young Australians know that the system is weighted against them. We have made decisions in this budget to fix up those problems.

Those opposite have said that they're going to take that away from young Australians. They're going to take those opportunities away from young Australians— Senator Cash: Jack's paying more tax under you! Senator AYRES: Don't you worry about Jack's tax; I'd worry about Jane's tax if I were you.

That is why we are levelling the playing field for young Australians in this budget. The changes to the capital gains tax and negative gearing remove that unfair disadvantage. That's what they do.

That's what people want out of their parliaments and their governments—to act in their interests. That inequity is something that Australian first home buyers, particularly young people, have faced for far too long. Carve-outs in the tax changes for new homes will drive housing investment towards new supply.

I would have thought that's something that the coalition would have understood. We're investing a further $2 billion in infrastructure, along with our friends in the states, to unlock tens of thousands of new homes. That's what that will do—pipes, pavements and powerlines to power the homes of the future.

Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: I'm waiting for silence. The running commentary, particularly of those on the front bench on my left, at the end, needs to stop. Senator Brown, first supplementary?