Senate

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister confirmed the Prime Minister had confidence in Minister Keogh. She noted that the minister had acknowledged his error in not meeting the veterans initially. She reiterated that veterans with clinical needs would retain access to allied health services above the $5,000 threshold. She highlighted government investments in the Department of Veterans' Affairs to address a backlog of approximately 42,000 compensation claims.

Answer from Katy Gallagher

The minister outlined reforms including banning unlicensed real-time communications, tightening anti-hawking laws, and strengthening penalties for data harvesting. She noted that ASIC would be empowered to direct trustees to remediate failures, while APRA would ensure trustees offering high-risk products meet their responsibilities. She also mentioned progress on financial advice reforms and the introduction of a new class of adviser for super funds.

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister stated the Prime Minister retained confidence in the minister, who had acknowledged his errors. She emphasized the government's commitment to implementing royal commission recommendations, noting over $2 billion invested in veterans' wellbeing. She defended the government's record, citing the resolution of a 42,000-claim backlog inherited from the previous administration.

Answer from Tim Ayres

The minister argued that rent caps hinder new home construction and are ineffective policy measures. He highlighted the government's agenda to deliver 55,000 social and affordable rental homes and 100,000 homes for first-home buyers. He criticized the Greens for blocking the Housing Affordability Future Fund legislation and noted $47 billion in measures for home construction.

Answer from Tim Ayres

The minister stated that the investment secured 6,000 jobs in the Hunter region through renewable energy and storage initiatives. He highlighted that over 35,000 jobs had been secured across regional economies through the Future Made in Australia approach. He noted that 712,000 more manufacturing businesses existed than before the government took office, with over $1.65 billion invested via the National Reconstruction Fund.

Answer from Don Farrell

The minister explained that large-scale proposals require rigorous due diligence and cannot be processed quickly, citing historical examples of infrastructure delays. He confirmed the NAIF operates independently to assess projects against its mandate. He committed to making personal inquiries into the status of the proposal and reporting back to the senator.

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister guaranteed that the changes were motivated by increasing housing supply and that opposition policies would have reduced supply. She clarified that existing negative gearing arrangements were grandfathered and that incentives remained for new builds. She cited ABS data showing investor lending for new constructions rose by 27 per cent in the June quarter.

Answer from Murray Watt

The minister rejected claims of funding cuts, highlighting extensions to the Saving Native Species program and Natural Heritage Trust funding. He noted that $47 million of the $113 million bird flu preparedness budget was allocated to wildlife resilience. He stated the government had an open mind on further funding but defended investments in manufacturing and jobs.

Answer from Murray Watt

The minister attributed wage growth to the government's workplace laws and cost-of-living relief, including tax cuts for 14 million taxpayers and pay boosts for 2.8 million minimum wage workers. He emphasized that higher productivity was key to long-term wage growth and criticized the opposition for historically opposing wage increases.