QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (14:36): I thank the member for his question. I'm asked about house prices, and I'm asked about first homebuyers. I really thank you for the question.
When it comes to house prices, the shadow minister for housing has made some comments about this. He said this on just 1 July: I think these are blips and bumps. He went on the day before, in case you think there was an accident, speaking about Sydney and Melbourne: In other markets, I note that there is still price growth.
And he says: There may be some short-term hiccups as a result of interest rate rises and the like … In case you're wondering whether that was an accident, he said this way back in May, 'I can tell you as shadow housing minister, I think house prices are too high'. Now, when the shadow minister for housing says that—he's been appointed to be the housing spokesperson for the Liberal Party and the National Party—then one would assume that that is all of their position.
I assume that has been through the shadow cabinet and that that is their position. The SPEAKER: Order. I want to hear from the Manager of Opposition Business.
Mr Tehan: I have a point of order, and it goes to relevance. The Prime Minister has been speaking now for one minute and 20 seconds, and all he's spoken about is the opposition. An honourable member interjecting— Mr Tehan: Apologies, I'll take the interjection.
You're right, one minute, 11 seconds. He has spoken about the opposition. He wasn't asked about the opposition.
He was asked twice about negative equity— The SPEAKER: Resume your seat. Yes, the Prime Minister was asked that question. He was reading a comment from the shadow housing minister about housing prices to reinforce his point about the topic.
He was— Mr Taylor interjecting— The SPEAKER: Okay, Leader of the Opposition. We don't need your assistance at this juncture. So, the Prime Minister is using that.
An opposition member interjecting— The SPEAKER: Well, I haven't finished what I was going to say, but it's okay, everyone. I can see what's happening. If the Prime Minister is going to use any quote from industry, from the parliament, from a shadow minister or from a minister, he's got to make sure it's directly relevant.
I have rulings here about previous speakers allowing comments to be made. He can't talk about opposition policy. He wasn't talking about opposition policy.
He was talking about the government's policy and what the shadow minister's response was, and that is within the standing orders. There are examples where that happens. So just to make sure, if the Prime Minister is using a quote, he's got to be directly relevant to the question.
An honourable member interjecting— Mr Tehan: Just to that—I'm absolutely allowed to. Mr ALBANESE: Yes, you are— The SPEAKER: Order! We're going to do this properly.
All managers of opposition business have been entitled to raise subsequent points of order and to speak on points of order. That has been consistent, as when the Leader of the House was in that role. We're going to give the manager his due respect as well.
Mr Tehan: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I refer to a quote from former speaker Smith. I know that you and the House respect former speaker Smith, and you've followed on many of the traditions.
He said: 'In doing that, he needs to address the question that was asked, not just deal with the material that is on this policy topic.' I just want to add that as it's very important. The SPEAKER: I agree with the point you made. The Leader of the House might want to give his point as well, and I'll allow him to do so.
Mr Burke: Mr speaker, I won't, simply for the reason that the procedure is meant to be that the points of order are raised and, once you've given a ruling, that's it. The SPEAKER: Yes. Mr Burke: We've got a practice now where you're giving the ruling and then it's effectively being contested, which is contrary to standing orders.
Once a ruling is given—I get that a point of order will be asked beforehand, but this business of getting up two or three times is not what has ordinarily happened. Opposition members interjecting— The SPEAKER: No. That's okay.
Members should not recontest points of order. The Leader of the House is the Leader of the House is correct. I was in the middle of answering his point of order, and he wanted to jump up again when I was finishing my answer.
Maybe in future, I finish my answer before you jump up. Mr Rob Mitchell interjecting— The SPEAKER: Member for McEwen. Order!
We're just going to remain silent in that corner of the parliament for a little while. The Prime Minister is able to use a quote. He's got to be directly relevant to the policy he was asked about.
He wasn't quoting opposition policy, so he's within order. Does the Prime Minister to continue his answer? Mr ALBANESE: It's hard to remember what the question was, I've got to say.
But I do know that the manager there has got his noggin on TV a few times. Congratulations. Well done.
I do find it astonishing that, in a question about housing, when quoting what the shadow minister for housing said yesterday, the day before and the month before, they object to that. But that says it all about the chaotic rabble that are opposite. I'm asked about first home buyers buying homes.
Can I say that the member for Robertson's constituent Gino emailed him just today, thanking him for being brave enough to try and fix the property market to make it a fairer system. 'I have two grown-up children trying desperately to get into the property market, to just be outbid by investors, so much so, they have all but given up. We have noticed a drop in investors bidding of recent.
Hopefully now all our young people may have a better chance of purchasing their first home.' In the electorate of Tangney, according to the agents Zvon Mikulic, 'A family bought a four-bedroom home. They'd been renting; they were looking to have more kids and needed a yard and finally got into their first home,' and in Tweed Heads, in the electorate of Richmond, according to a real estate agent, 'They were nice local young family moving from a unit into their first home.' Right around Australia, this is what is happening and this is what will continue to— (Time expired)