Senate

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister stated that over 500,000 homes have been built nationwide since the government took office, with more than 4,000 completed using Commonwealth investment and 28,000 in planning or construction. She attributed delays to the opposition's stance on the fund and noted that the coalition had built only 373 social and affordable homes in their previous decade. Regarding the supplementary, she argued that opposing supply increases was illogical and listed specific HAFF projects in New South Wales, including 580 homes in Merrylands and Regents Park, 144 in Maroubra, 221 in Macquarie Park and Lane Cove, 16 in Coonabarabran, and 10 in Casino and South Grafton.

Answer from Katy Gallagher

The minister reported that the gender pay gap had fallen to 11.2 per cent, down from 14.1 per cent in 2022, resulting in women earning over $500 more per fortnight. She noted women's workforce participation reached a record 63.5 per cent. Regarding the agency, she stated that 1.6 million additional employees were covered by reporting, with employers conducting pay gap analyses rising from 24 per cent to 68 per cent. On segregation, she cited data showing only 21 per cent of occupations were gender balanced, highlighting shortages in fields like mining engineering and software programming where women comprised less than 20 per cent of the workforce.

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister stated that the government views tariffs as an impost on consumers and is seeking to reduce them. She explained that addressing climate change requires considering the competitiveness of emissions-intensive industries, which is accounted for in the safeguard mechanism. She refused to rule out measures necessary for net zero commitments, arguing that the opposition's stance on climate change was inconsistent and that the government had a mandate to act on climate change through sensible economic approaches.

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister stated that the government condemns Israel's denial of aid and the killing of civilians, issuing statements with partner countries to apply pressure. She explained that maintaining diplomatic relationships allows for dialogue and assertion of interests, even with countries where views differ. Regarding sanctions, she noted that the government had already sanctioned two Israeli ministers and various entities for human rights abuses and had decided to recognise Palestine at a high level to build a pathway to peace.

Answer from Don Farrell

The minister highlighted that one in four Australian jobs relates to trade and that export jobs pay nine per cent more on average. He stated that the UAE agreement, passed into law on 31 July, would allow over 99 per cent of Australian products to enter tariff-free, saving households and businesses about $40 million annually. Regarding US tariffs, he noted that two-way investment reached $2.9 trillion in 2024 and that the government had introduced a $50 million program to assist impacted industries and completed five new business missions to secure markets.

Answer from Jenny McAllister

The minister stated that the idea for foundational supports came from the Bonyhady and Paul review and that states agreed to start with children. She clarified that children currently on the scheme or joining before 2027 would not see changes to their support, ensuring no gap in care. Regarding state funding, she explained that discussions since 2023 involved a $5 billion federal offer matched by states to establish foundational supports, with the current focus on children.

Answer from Tim Ayres

The minister stated that industry requires policy certainty and affordable energy, which the government is addressing through market reviews. He argued that the opposition's previous policies led to capital flight and higher gas prices, whereas the current government is building electricity generation capacity. He did not provide a specific date for bill reductions, stating that prices would fall when supply increases, and attributed current challenges to opposition campaigns against industry.

Answer from Katy Gallagher

The minister stated that productivity challenges are multifaceted and have existed for decades, comparable to issues in other economies, and are not linked to migration numbers. She noted that the worst decade for productivity was under the previous coalition government. She emphasized that the government is working on skills, training, and infrastructure to improve productivity without changing net overseas migration, and rejected attempts to pit groups against each other.

Answer from Tim Ayres

The minister reported that emissions were 440 million tonnes in the year to March, 28 per cent below 2005 levels, with preliminary June data showing further reductions. He highlighted the Capacity Investment Scheme unlocking tens of billions in investment and creating 10,000 construction jobs, and the cheaper home batteries scheme benefiting 41,000 households. He identified policy uncertainty as the chief barrier to investment, contrasting the current approach with the previous government's record of capital flight.

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister stated she reached out to the South Australian Deputy Premier in early July and that regular contact had occurred since late May or early June. She noted that Minister Watt visited South Australia on 21 July and the Prime Minister on 20 August to announce support. She confirmed $14 million had been contributed to a package including industry support and stated that investment in Whyalla was due to its importance to the state and national economy, while continuing engagement with the state government on further requirements.