The Government continues to deliver on its election promises - even though the Liberals and Nationals are doing everything they can to stand in the way of progress.

Here’s the 5&5:

BEST

One step closer to more affordable housing
The Nationals' audacity to ask about regional funding
Richard Marles's Super Bowl answer
15 years since the apology to the stolen generations
Patrick Gorman's Valentine's Day gift to the Federation Chamber

WORST

The Liberals opposing manufacturing jobs and affordable housing
Anne Webster's 'ruff' question to the PM
The Coalition forgetting about how time works
Karen Andrew throwing stones in a glass house
Poor old Fletch's BILLION dollar typo

1. This week we passed our $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund through the Reps. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese explained why it was so important to build more affordable housing in this country: “We know that a home to call your own, whether or not you own it, is about more than just a place to sleep. It gives you confidence, a sense of stability, a feeling of connection to your community. I know that because I’ve lived it.”

2. Nationals leader David Littleproud somehow thought it would be a good idea to ask the Government about regional funding decisions. Yes, the Nationals – the party of sports rorts, car park rorts, shonky grants and colour-coded spreadsheets. The same party that allocated funding to North Sydney swimming pool under its regional grants scheme. The Prime Minister, with the help of Chris Bowen, couldn’t resist the invitation. “I should give credit where credit it’s due, to the Minister for Energy, who suggests that I should give you “both Barilaros” in response to that question!”

3. When Daniel Mulino tried to ask Richard Marles about the Liberals’ record on defense and national security, Manager of Opposition Business Paul Fletcher tried to have it ruled out of order. Of course he did - why would they want Richard reminding the Australian people of their woeful failings, like how they spent $114 million on a shipbuilding college that only resulted in 203 jobs? “This is another example of the yawning gap between their announcement and their delivery. Highly productive when it came to fanfare, completely hopeless when it came to outcome. They’re all about the half-time entertainment, never about the game.”

4. This week marked 15 years since Kevin Rudd delivered his historic apology to the stolen generations. The PM said the apology had kept alive the hopes for reconciliation that now illuminate the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Linda Burney marked the occasion by making the case for the Voice to Parliament: “Today in 2023 a new generation has a chance to do things differently. To create a better future. It’s up to a new generation of Australians to help close the gap. We are a great country and we can be even greater if we get the next steps right by making a lasting difference through practical action - one that gives Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians a Voice. Let us seize the moment and take Australia forward.”

5. Patrick Gorman is surely in the running to be Australia’s Poet Laureate after this Valentine’s Day effort in the Federation Chamber. Have a watch.

1. Well this week confirmed it: the Liberals are going to copy Tony Abbott’s playbook and oppose absolutely everything, including our key election commitments. Last week they announced they’d oppose manufacturing jobs by rejecting our National Reconstruction Fund. This week they actually voted against the Housing Australia Future Fund. Julie Collins put it best: “The No-alition over there is saying no to building more homes for women and children fleeing family violence, they’re saying no to older women at risk of homelessness, they're saying no to building homes for veterans who are at risk of homelessness and they're saying no to building more homes.”

2. I know I’ve put this in the worst column but that’s because of the question. It was actually one of the best moments of Question Time I’ve ever seen from anyone. The PM was asked a ridiculous question by the Nationals’ Anne Webster, effectively blaming Labor for the mess the Liberals left us on energy policy. Here’s his response: “They had 22 energy policies and didn’t land one. And then they come in here and say ‘Why isn’t it all fixed’? It reminds me, as someone who is a dog lover, of someone who comes home and finds bits of cushions everywhere. There are bits which have been torn out and they’re all over the lounge room. They’re all over the kitchen and down the corridor. And they look at their pooch and they go “What’s gone on here?” And the pooch looks back with those eyes that say “Look at the mess you’ve made!” Fair dinkum. You did nothing for 10 years. You voted against it when we had a plan and then you come in here and say ‘Why didn’t you do it earlier?’”

3. Speaking of ridiculous questions. A Coalition backbencher asked “why Labor has broken its key election promise to have an urgent care clinic up and running within 12 months”. Mark Butler had to explain we haven’t even been in office that long: “I need to check my calendar for 2022 but I’m pretty sure the election was in May!”

4. When we announced we were delivering on another election promise to give 19,000 refugees who have been languishing on temporary protection visas a pathway to permanent residency the Liberals responded with their usual hysterical scaremongering. Karen Andrews tried to go after the Prime Minister, who quickly turned the tables -reminding the Chamber she was the minister when the Morrison Government sent out “shonky” misleading text messages trying to scare Australians about asylum seeker boats on election day last year.

5. Poor old Fletch. He struggles in the Parliament and he struggles with numbers. On Tuesday the Manager of Opposition Business had a motion attacking the Government over our new cultural policy for delivering “only relatively modest new funding for the arts of around $60 billion a year”. Given we have a trillion dollars of Liberal debt I was pretty happy that I secured an extra $60 million in annual funding for the arts - but $60 billion would be even better. He actually managed to get three numbers wrong in that one motion. Maybe this begins to explain why Fletcher paid $30 million for land worth $3 million in the Leppington Triangle?

A big thank you to Penny Wong and the whole Senate team for their stellar work in Senate estimates this week. They had to put up with a lot of nonsense from Coalition senators.

We’re back in a couple of weeks.

Tony

PS. A forgotten mid-90s Australian gem: Dogs Are The Best People by The Fauves.

5&5: Questionable Questions