Television interview with Minister Butler, Sunrise – 26 September 2025

NATALIE BARR, HOST: Now, the government's $10 billion affordable housing policy is already running behind, would you believe, with 1 July figures showing just 370 homes had been produced, well short of expectations.
 
DAVID WOIWOD, HOST: Newly released letters from last October show the Housing Minister had forecast 700 homes would be ready by 30 June of this year, with thousands more set to begin construction. Labor's Housing Australia Future Fund is supposed to deliver 40,000 homes within the next four years. And for more we are joined by Health Minister Mark Butler and Liberal Senator Jane Hume. Good morning to you both. Mark, if you're already falling behind those forecasts now, what hope is there of reaching the 40,000 target in time?
 
MARK BUTLER, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGEING, MINISTER FOR DISABILITY AND THE NDIS: We've got 25,000 homes at different stages of planning and construction because of the investments that we made. On top of that, first home buyers now can buy a home with just a 5 per cent deposit and no lender's insurance, cutting years off the time it takes them to break into the market. We know that getting more homes into the market is absolutely the biggest challenge in Australia's housing crisis, but we already see thousands and thousands at different stages of planning and construction. Of course, this would have happened a lot quicker if Jane’s party and the Greens had not teamed up to block these investments in the Senate for more than 12 months. We'd be 12 months further down the path of doing what we know we need to do to get more homes into the market.
 
SENATOR JANE HUME: Mark, that's nonsense, you knew it.
 
BARR: Jane, it's your fault, is it?
 
HUME: Oh, apparently, it's our fault, yeah. I mean, this fund, the Housing Australia Future Fund, is the signature policy of the Labor Government. It's been up and running for two years and it hasn't built so much as a granny flat. I mean, these 370 homes that it's claiming to have produced, it's actually bought. So it's bought affordable housing and turned it into social housing. It hasn't built a single home. This thing, they haven't even actually met their own self-imposed targets. There is no way that they are going to manage to build 40,000 homes, which is their target in four years' time. But they've borrowed $10 billion in your name, in the taxpayer's name, to do it. So 370 homes in two years? Congratulations, Mark. What a failure.
 
WOIWOD: Okay, well, team, moving on, it’s grand final day of course -
 
BUTLER: I think Jane and everyone knows you can't -
 
WOIWOD: Mark, we might just leave it there. Of course, it is Grand Final eve and we couldn't let you go without asking for your tips. Mark, we will start with you. You are a Port fan, but who are you backing tomorrow?
 
BUTLER: Look, it pains me to say as a Port fan, I think Geelong will get there. They were so strong against the Hawks. Even with Lachie Neale coming back to Brisbane, I think Geelong are going to be hard to beat tomorrow, but it's going to be a ripper of a game.
 
BARR: Jane, are you going? You know, Melbourne girl, this is a massive weekend, isn't it? There's nothing like it.
 
HUME: It's a fantastic weekend in Melbourne and welcome to all those Brisbane supporters. I do think Geelong's going to win. I'm tipping them by about 40 points or so. Jeremy Cameron, maybe for the first goal -
 
BARR: 40?
 
HUME: 40 points. Yeah, I know it's going to be a big one. But what I really want to see is all those visitors to Melbourne making sure that they take advantage of my beautiful city. Make sure you go to Fitzroy, where it all began for those Brisbane supporters. Go and walk the tan, spend some time in the pubs and the restaurants, and maybe even go to St Kilda, which is a beautiful suburb and it is a fantastic place. It's a wonderful home. St Kilda is a great place to be. I was glad to see Snoop Dogg was there last night.
 
WOIWOD: She's repping everything. She's got all the merch.
 
HUME: Maybe next year. Next year.
 
WOIWOD: Well maybe we need a Port Adelaide and St Kilda final next year, guys. That could be -
 
HUME: Good plan.
 
BARR: Yeah. Okay.
 
WOIWOD: Thank you. Thanks for your time.
 
BARR: Thank you. Melbourne and football are the winners over the weekend. Thank you very much, guys.