House of Representatives

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that negative equity affected less than one per cent of mortgage holders, a significant decrease from levels recorded under the previous government. He highlighted that 8,468 investors signed up to build new homes in the June quarter, representing a record high, with $6 billion in loan value borrowed for these builds. He noted that over 660,000 new homes had been constructed since the government took office, with 244,000 more under construction, the highest number since records began in 1984. Construction cost inflation had fallen from 17 per cent to 3.8 per cent. He cited specific examples of first-home buyers successfully purchasing properties in Victoria, Canberra, and his own electorate, often assisted by the government's five per cent deposit scheme.

Answer from Clare O'Neil

The minister shared the story of a single mother and victim of domestic violence who had moved into a new government-built home, providing her family with safety and stability after multiple moves. She announced $300 million in new funding for crisis and transitional housing, completing a total $1.2 billion investment package aimed at supporting 19,000 vulnerable Australians. She emphasised the importance of stable housing for young people experiencing homelessness, citing the positive impact on individuals like Sienna, who had attended a press conference to discuss her experience.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister acknowledged that Australians faced cost-of-living pressures due to global events including the pandemic, conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, and oil shocks. He stated the government was taking action to provide relief and strengthen the economy against future shocks. He highlighted that all workers received tax cuts, one of five forms of tax relief implemented during the government's term, contrasting this with the opposition's previous stance on reversing such measures.

Answer from Tanya Plibersek

The minister stated that safe housing was critical for women and children to escape violence, noting that many endured abuse to avoid homelessness. She highlighted the government's $1.2 billion investment to deliver 55,000 crisis and transitional homes, including the $300 million announced earlier. She contrasted this with the previous government's record of building only 373 social homes in a decade. She also referenced the First Action Plan on violence against women, which included $4.4 billion in funding, permanent leaving violence payments, and support for frontline workers.

Answer from Sam Rae

The minister stated the aged care system was being rebuilt following a royal commission. He noted a new national definition for delayed discharges had been agreed upon to improve data consistency. He highlighted a $25 billion hospital funding deal to reduce waiting lists and get patients out of hospitals. He announced $115 million in additional investment for residential aged care capacity in hotspot areas, including 73 new beds in the Illawarra and 268 in Adelaide. Regarding Support at Home, he stated the system had nearly tripled since 2020, with urgent priority cases receiving packages within a month and high priority cases within about a month.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister emphasised the need for governments and companies to take responsibility for AI development to ensure technology serves people rather than treating them as data points. He referenced the Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence and noted concerns raised by AI companies and religious leaders. He listed government actions including the news bargaining incentive, social media ban for under-16s, digital duty of care, national AI standards, and the Office of AI. He stated these reforms aimed to put people in charge and reaffirm human values.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister dismissed the question as a smear with false imputations. He did not directly address the property value question but instead referenced the opposition's election commitments.

Answer from Anika Wells

The minister stated the government was leading global efforts with the social media minimum-age law, which had influenced over 20 countries. She highlighted the proposed laws on digital duty of care, designed to protect children from online risks such as extortion, grooming, and harmful content. She criticised the opposition for rejecting the draft laws and failing to engage in constructive discussion, accusing them of prioritising politics over child safety.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated he made no apologies for supporting organisations in his electorate. He clarified that the honorary membership was from 2012 and cost only $5 for two years. He said he was unaware of the issue until last week and had written to the club secretary to decline the honorary membership. He offered to pay the standard fee if he visited the club in the future.

Answer from Jason Clare

The minister highlighted the New South Wales government's announcement of screen-time limits in schools, supporting the concept of a digital detox. He noted that evidence showed excessive screen time correlated with declining results. He referenced a viral speech by a principal about keeping girls safe from harmful algorithms and cited criticism of algorithms as 'force-fed speech'. He stated that teachers, parents, and principals expected the government to crack down on harmful algorithms.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that the question related to cabinet processes and that the decision-maker was the Minister for Infrastructure, not himself.

Answer from Jim Chalmers

The Treasurer highlighted measures including super on paid parental leave, payday super, and boosting the low-income super tax offset. He noted the rise in the superannuation guarantee rate from 9% to 12%. He stated that the upcoming Intergenerational Report would show superannuation helping meet intergenerational obligations, with median retirement balances projected to rise to $450,000. He contrasted this with opposition policies that would reduce the guarantee to nine per cent, potentially leaving a 25-year-old worker $770,000 worse off at retirement.

Answer from Julie Collins

The minister noted that agricultural output in the basin had grown to $30 billion in 2021, up from $18.6 billion in 2011-12. On the query about the omission, she said she would consult the Minister for the Environment and Water to provide an answer.

Answer from Amanda Rishworth

The minister highlighted annual minimum wage increases, pay rises for aged care and early education workers, and same job same pay reforms. She noted the legislated increase of the superannuation guarantee to 12 per cent and the introduction of payday super and super on parental leave. She identified the opposition as the biggest risk to workers' pay packets, citing their history of freezing super increases and opposing wage measures.

Answer from Mark Butler

The minister stated that the rebate changes were necessary to fund $3 billion in aged care services. He explained that the reform returned the rebate to its original design, removing age-based differentiation so that subsidies were based solely on income. He noted that the average affected member would pay an extra 70 cents per day. He challenged the opposition to explain how they would fund the aged care expansion without the rebate savings.

Answer from Julie Collins

The minister confirmed the positive test in a sea lion at Seal Bay, with samples sent for confirmatory testing. She stated there were no other mortalities detected and no evidence of mammal-to-mammal transmission. She highlighted a $1.4 million investment to boost sea lion resilience and a $270 million investment for H5 bird flu response. She noted 521 bird flu events nationally and over 41,000 calls to the hotline, urging the public to report sick or dead animals.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister acknowledged the impact of the Middle East conflict on global fuel prices. He did not address the fuel excise directly but listed government support measures in Fowler, including tax cuts, bulk-billing practices, urgent care clinic visits, first-home buyer assistance, rent assistance, cheaper home batteries, child care subsidies, and student debt cuts.

Answer from Chris Bowen

The minister stated that 540,211 households had installed cheaper home batteries, including 2,326 in Dunkley. He noted the program had doubled the number of battery installers to 8,846, creating jobs in Western Sydney. He highlighted high uptake rates in several Western Sydney electorates. He contrasted the government's support for the program with the opposition's intention to abolish it.