Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has exploded on live TV in a clash with Education Minister Jason Clare over the government’s plans to address cost of living.
The Albanese government is planning to reintroduce its affordable housing bill that would provide $10 billion to create 30,000 homes over five years.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Sussan Ley explodes over cost of living crisis during Sunrise interview.
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The Liberals and Greens opposed the bill when it was first introduced in the Senate and, if it is blocked a second time, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese could request a double dissolution election.
Speaking on Sunrise about the issue on Friday morning, Clare said: “It’s not about an election, it’s about putting a roof over people’s heads.
“We’ve got the Liberal Party and the Greens in bed together while there are people sleeping on the streets.
“This is a fund to build thousands more homes for women and children fleeing domestic violence, the veterans who fought in Afghanistan who are sleeping in Martin Place, and the Liberal party and the Greens keep voting against this.”
Barr quizzed the minister on whether the government is considering an early election, with the constitution stating if a bill is rejected twice in more than three months, a double dissolution can be called.
Clare deflected from the question, and continued to talk about how the Liberals and the Greens were against the bill, before Barr asked whether he could rule out a double dissolution election.
“What I can’t rule out is the Liberals and the Greens teaming up again to vote against this,” Clare responded.
“What I care about, Nat, is not about whether we have an election, but whether we build homes for people who desperately need it, and you’ve got the Libs, and the Greens, and the Nats, all in bed together stopping this. They need to see some sense and think about the people this will help, not the politics that really seems to occupy them at the moment.”
Barr pushed Clare again, asking if he would rule out the double dissolution election.
“The way to rule this out, is pass the bill,” he said.
Ley then exploded at the minister’s comments, saying, “threatening the Australian people with an early election is the height of arrogance from this Albanese Government”.
“The policy does not stack up.
“Meanwhile, their economy-wrecking approach is making it more and more expensive to build a home.
“We’re seeing builders going broke across the country every day because they can’t keep up with the rising prices.
“This is not putting the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, this is putting the ambulance down the road.”
Ley said people had been “reaching out for help who have never asked for it before because this government doesn’t have a plan to tackle inflation and that’s what we need now, an urgent plan to tackle inflation, not threats about an early election, what arrogance.”
Ley went on to say the government was making it sound as if the $10 billion would be translated into homes for people, but claimed that wasn’t the case as Clare spoke over her, saying: “That’s rubbish. That’s just absolute rubbish.”
Ignoring Clare, she continued, “It’s just a fund which has the interest which would become a new house perhaps”.
“So this is woefully inadequate to address the crisis. It’s a policy that doesn’t stack up.
“And just listen to Jason not actually admit that this is threatening the Australian people with an early double-dissolution election.
“What arrogance when people are struggling!”
Clare hit back: “Just lies Sussan, stop lying to the Australian people!”
“I don’t appreciate the interruptions,” Ley clapped back as the pair continued to speak over the top of each other.
“It’s your policy and it doesn’t stack up and that’s why the entire parliament has rejected it,” Ley continued.
Referring to Ley’s former claim that the policy was “putting the ambulance down the road”, Clare added, “Sussan talks about an ambulance at the bottom of a cliff, the Liberal Party are acting like one of those cars that won’t get out of the way when the ambulance siren is blaring”.
Ley told him to “focus on the people who are hurting!”
“Focus on ordinary Australians.”
Sunrise co-host Natalie Barr attempted to mediate the fiery discussion, asking Clare what will happen if the policy is rejected.
Defending the policy, Clare reiterated that a similar fund was set up in NSW by former premier Gladys Berejiklian.
“Now you’re saying what’s set up in NSW won’t work here?” he said.
Ley told him to “focus on the people who are hurting!”
“Focus on ordinary Australians. “
Barr then asked Clare what will happen if the policy is rejected.
“It’ll be reintroduced, I hope it passes!” he said.
“I mean, look at the attitude, you know it’s not going to (pass), so then what?” Barr said.
“Well the Liberal party have never cared about building housing for people sleeping on the streets,” he went on to say before being interrupted again by a fired-up Ley.
“That’s an outrageous thing to say, Jason!” she hit back.
“People in your government don’t care.”
The fiery clash ended with Ley once again telling the minister the Albanese government’s policy did not stack up, while Clare said the government was committed to putting housing policies in place for people in need.
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