Senator BLYTH (South Australia—Deputy Opposition Whip in the Senate) (15:34): I move: That the Senate take note of answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. Sitting here day after day, during question time, we listen to Labor insult the Australian people—going on about how proud they are of what they're doing in housing, their economic management; the list goes on and on. The fact is that hard-working Australians are doing it tough right now. Living standards are falling, housing budgets are under strain, and businesses are going bust or moving offshore. Labor have built 17 homes. Let's think about that for a moment—17. We have a housing crisis in Australia, and Labor have caused a housing nightmare for the Australian people. In just three years, this government has presided over the biggest boom in Australia's population growth since the fifties. We've got a significant housing construction collapse. This government seems more interested in looking after its union buddies than it is in looking after hard-working Australians who just want to get into the housing market. Today during question time—we won't call it 'answer time', because Labor like to sit here and tell us about all the things that they're doing—we got the revelation that Labor have actually been going into the housing market and buying or acquiring homes. They've been going in, competing against first home buyers, competing against everyday Australians and causing an even bigger issue in what is a difficult market to get into. Senator Ananda-Rajah interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Ananda-Rajah, you're going to an opportunity in a few moments to have your contribution. Senator BLYTH: This Labor government has a $43 billion agenda. They are focused on building, building, building. We'll go back to that number again because those opposite refuse to say it. They're building, building, building 17 homes for the Australian people. The results speak for themselves. Senator Wong, in question time today, said that net zero is good for the economy. Let that sink in just a little bit. We've already gone over the fact that Australians are doing it tough, that living standards are down, that cost-of-living pressures are up. We've got the minister in this place talking about how what they're doing is good for the economy. I don't know who those opposite are speaking to, but, when I'm out there in the community, people are telling me that it is tough. They can't afford their electricity bills, which are up 39 per cent—up another 13 per cent, we've just found out just this year. These are everyday Australian people who are struggling. They are choosing now between heating their homes in winter and eating. They are choosing between allowing their kids to play sport and sending them to school with lunch. Forgive me when those opposite sit in here and try and lecture us on how good their economic management is, because I think that everyday Australians out there would disagree with them. The funny thing is that the government—when they run out of money, when their big-spending, big budgets run out of money—are coming after the Australian taxpayer. They are coming after everyday Australians' dollars. We heard today that they won't rule out a tariff. We're talking about a carbon border adjustment mechanism. They will not rule out a tariff on sectors like building materials, fertiliser, fuel, cement, chemicals, steel and aluminium. These tariffs would make these industries uncompetitive. It would mean closing down these industries and sending them offshore, meaning that Australians will need to import cement, chemicals, and steel and aluminium from other countries that don't have a price on carbon. This government is bad for manufacturing. It's bad for jobs. Think about those communities that rely on these industries. With Labor's big spending, they're running out of money, and now they're going to come after all of us with tariffs. Let's not forget the $275 that they promised we would all save on our electricity bills. Like all Australians out there, I'm still waiting for a $275 reduction in my electricity bill. All I've got so far is a 40 per cent increase, with another 13 per cent just this year. This government has got to do better. (Time expired)