STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr REBELLO (McPherson) (13:45): We need to face some facts in this place. Labor's housing record is a trifecta of failure—fewer homes, higher rents and confidence smashed. Australians do not live in housing targets; they live with the consequences when governments miss them.

Labor's completing only around 173,000 homes a year, against the roughly 240,000 that are needed to meet its own target. At this rate, Labor will fall 335,000 homes short. Rents are up 24.8 per cent since they came to office, and almost 13,000 construction businesses have become insolvent.

Since this government introduced its disastrous budget, new home lending has fallen while people's family home values are plummeting. Yet there's another cost that we can't ignore—corruption and misconduct in construction. A federal Senate inquiry found the CFMEU agreements have in some cases contributed to new apartment prices being 10 to 33 per cent higher.

Corruption in construction is not victimless. The bill ends up with taxpayers, with renters and with homebuyers. Every dollar wasted, every project delayed and every unnecessary cost added makes the Australian dream harder to reach.

You cannot build affordable homes on the foundation of corruption. Every member in this House has been asked to sign a pledge to stand against corruption. I've done it.

It'll be telling to see if those opposite do as well.