Matter of Public Importance

Housing

Senate · Wednesday 26 November 2025

Official Hansard for this day (APH) · Read this debate on OpenAustralia

At a glance

Senator Malcolm Roberts moved a matter of public importance criticising the government for failing to fix home ownership, citing mass migration, tax breaks for foreign landlords, and red tape. Senator Anne Ruston moved an amendment to remove references to specific non-citizen numbers and foreign corporations, focusing instead on government mismanagement of migration and construction regulations. Labor senators rejected the motion and amendment, arguing that blaming migrants was incorrect and highlighting government investments in social housing and increased building approvals. The debate concluded with the question being negatived, meaning the motion was not passed.

Outcome

The question was negatived, with the motion failing to pass by a vote of 3 to 39.

Summary in reported speech - not a transcript. AI-generated, so check the official record before quoting.

How the debate unfolded

Opened the debate

Malcolm Roberts (QLD) (Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) One Nation

Roberts argued that the government had failed young Australians by allowing mass migration to increase the number of non-citizens to 4.7 million, while simultaneously providing tax breaks to foreign corporate landlords like BlackRock under the Build to Rent scheme. Roberts claimed that red tape prevented tradespeople from building sufficient housing, leading to a crisis where mortgage servicing costs reached 42 per cent of income. Roberts asserted that the housing crisis was driven by uncontrolled immigration and that successive governments had neglected infrastructure development in favour of relying on new arrivals to boost GDP figures.

Opposition response

Anne Ruston (SA) (Liberal Party) Liberal

Ruston argued that the housing crisis resulted from the government's failure to plan for record migration levels and its implementation of restrictive regulations that stifled new construction. Ruston moved an amendment to replace the original motion's text, aiming to attribute the crisis solely to the government's uncontrolled migration policies and red tape, rather than blaming migrant communities. Ruston contended that locking in high migration without addressing infrastructure pressures was reckless and that the government lacked leadership in delivering meaningful housing reforms.

Corinne Mulholland (QLD) (Australian Labor Party) ALP oppose

Mulholland criticised the motion as a political stunt that unfairly targeted migrants, noting that net overseas migration had declined by more than 40 per cent from its 2022-23 peak. Mulholland highlighted that new housing approvals had risen by 15 per cent compared to the previous year and announced the third round of Housing Australia Future Fund funding to deliver over 21,000 new social and affordable homes. Mulholland argued that the coalition and One Nation were engaging in lazy politics rather than addressing the real policy work required to solve housing challenges.
Andrew Bragg (NSW) (Liberal Party) Liberal mixed

Bragg stated that while high migration levels contributed to housing pressures, the primary issue was a collapse in housing supply, with annual construction dropping from 200,000 to approximately 170,000 homes. Bragg argued that blaming migrants was morally wrong and factually incorrect, noting that cutting migration entirely would not resolve the crisis. Bragg criticised the government for failing to bring in sufficient tradespeople to address an 80,000 shortfall and opposed tax incentives for foreign fund managers, advocating instead for a property-owning democracy.
Marielle Smith (SA) (Australian Labor Party) ALP oppose

Smith rejected the motion as offensive and harmful, emphasising that migrants were not responsible for the housing crisis and that immigration levels were falling under the current government. Smith pointed out that housing approvals were up 15 per cent and argued that the intergenerational deal on housing had been eroded over decades, not just during the current term. Smith condemned the rhetoric used in the motion, stating it made vulnerable community members feel unsafe and undermined the values of the institution.
Tyron Whitten (WA) (Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) One Nation support

Whitten supported the motion, clarifying that One Nation blamed the government, not migrants, for the housing crisis. Whitten cited data from Perth where rents had risen more than 50 per cent in five years and vacancy rates were at 0.7 per cent, describing the situation as desperate. Whitten argued that the government's five per cent deposit scheme saddled young buyers with excessive debt and that mass migration outpaced the capacity to house and employ new arrivals, driving up inflation and housing costs.

Votes during this debate

Division 22: Housing Not passed 3–39

Opened by

Malcolm Roberts (QLD) (Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party)

One Nation

Speeches

7 speeches, 4 other contributors

Topics

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Question Time Senate Question Time 17 Aug 2026 · Shared topics: Housing, Immigration
Question Time Senate Question Time 15 Sep 2026 · Shared topics: Housing, Immigration

About Senate debates

The Senate debates bills, motions, matters of public importance and the answers given in Question Time. Senators from all parties and the crossbench take part, and a minister or the minister representing them usually replies for the government. Summaries are in reported speech, not transcripts; always check the official record before quoting.