QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (14:10): I'm asked about housing, including the impact of changes that we've made. I'll give a few facts. Fact 1: the latest ABS data shows that under this Labor government, the total value of housing in Australia has gone from $10.1 trillion to $12.7 trillion—an increase of some 26 per cent in just four years.
Fact 2: the median national house price in August was higher than it was a year ago. Perth is up 20.5 per cent. Brisbane is up 14.8 per cent, and Adelaide is up 10.5 per cent.
Regional prices are 7.7 per cent higher. Fact 3: according to the latest RBA data, less than one per cent of all mortgage holders are in negative equity. That's less than half than it was under the Liberals between 2017 and 2019.
Fact 4: ABS data shows an unprecedented 8,468 investors signed up to build a new home in the June quarter—454 more than the previous record. There was also a record $6 billion in loan value borrowed for the builds. That's more than $1.3 billion above the same time a year ago.
Fact 5: more than 660,000 new homes have been built under our government, and a further 244,000 are under construction—the highest number under construction since records began in 1994. That is just a fact. Fact 6: housing approvals are up, climbing last financial year to their highest level since 2021.
The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Lindsay is entitled to take her point of order. Mrs McIntosh: It is on relevance.
Premier Minns was mentioned twice. The very question was whether the Prime Minister agrees or disagrees with the Labor Premier, Chris Minns. Don't flick— The SPEAKER: The member for Lindsay has raised her point of order.
I'll ask her to resume her seat. There was a specific question about whether the Prime Minister agrees with Premier Minns. But that wasn't all part of the question.
An opposition member interjecting— The SPEAKER: I know. We can have this discussion every day. I can give all the examples of exactly the same way that all Speakers have done—the same way that I've dealt with— Mr Taylor interjecting— The SPEAKER: To the Leader of the Opposition, I'm trying to deal with the point of order that your shadow minister has made.
We're just going to make sure, when the Prime Minister is asked a question under the standing orders, he's being directly relevant. I can't make him say whether he disagrees or agrees because the standing orders don't allow me to do that. I wish they did sometimes.
But the Prime Minister is being directly relevant and he is answering the question. He's not talking about opposition policies. He's talking about exactly the question he was asked about.
The manager on a point of order? Mr Tehan: The shadow minister also raised a matter about the Prime Minister just dismissing her with a flick of the hand. Mr Albanese interjecting— Mr Tehan: No, that is exactly what you did.
The SPEAKER: Okay, I'll deal with that. Mr Tehan: I'd just ask you to direct that as well. The SPEAKER: I didn't see what occurred, but— Mr Violi: The cameras caught it.
The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Casey. We're just going to enable the House to come to order.
If people raise points of order, as they're entitled to do, they'll be shown respect. If I see anything otherwise, I'll make sure I deal with that. But I didn't see anything.
If everyone can just reset, the Prime Minister will conclude his answer. Mr ALBANESE: I withdraw if there's any concern. No problem.
Fact 7: annual construction cost inflation has fallen from a half-century high under the coalition. It was 17 per cent. Today it's 3.8 per cent—under Labor.
They are just the facts with regard to housing. What we have done is to make sure that we're addressing each of these issues. We're making sure we concentrate on supply.
We're making sure, as well, that first home owners and young Australians get a crack.