Emma Comer (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Housing is one of the biggest challenges facing Australians today. People are doing everything right, working hard and saving what they can, and yet they still feel that the dream of owning a home is slipping further out of reach. That's why the Albanese Labor government is taking real action that brings that dream back within grasp. Today's motion reaffirms Labor's commitment to help first home buyers. Through our five per cent home deposit scheme, we are helping Australians across the country get into their own home sooner. Under Labor, if you worked hard and have saved up, the government should have your back, not hold you back.

We brought forward the launch of the five per cent home deposit scheme for all first home buyers to 1 October 2025, months ahead of schedule. That means that every Australian first home buyer will be able to buy their first home with just a deposit of five per cent. We're also expanding that scheme. There are no income limits or limits on places, because your chance of owning a home shouldn't depend on being lucky enough to grab a limited number of spots. And, for single parents, we're continuing the Family Home Guarantee, which helps you buy a home with only a two per cent deposit. We're also increasing the property price caps to better reflect the reality of the housing costs in every part of Australia. This is about supporting an entire generation of people who feel locked out of the market.

Our five per cent deposits are already cutting years off the time it takes to save for a home. For a typical first home buyer, it can take up to eight years off the time needed to save for a deposit on a medium-price home, and that saves around $34,000 in mortgage insurance along the way. That's eight years less paying rent and watching prices increase. That's eight years sooner you can start paying off your own mortgage instead of someone else's. And the results are already showing. More than 185,000 Australians have achieved their dream of homeownership through Labor's housing policies, including over 800 people right across my electorate. That's 185,000 families who no longer have to worry about the next rent hike or the next lease ending. As a renter myself, I look forward to the day where I put down a deposit on my own first home, and I'm so glad that the dream has become a reality for so many across my community. I'm grateful that everyday working people in my community now have a fair go.

This challenge didn't appear overnight. For too long, the government has simply tapped out of housing. For most of their nine years in power, the coalition didn't even have a housing minister. They let the problem grow, and now, when Labor is finally taking real action, they're opposing it every step of the way. Australians know they can't trust the coalition on housing. They had nine years to act, and they didn't. In contrast, Labor has already delivered the most ambitious housing agenda in generations. Our $43 billion housing agenda is tackling this challenge from every angle. We're building more homes because more supply means more affordable housing for everyone, whether you're renting or buying. We're also backing the workforce that makes housing possible. Almost 300 construction trade workers in my community are now in training, supported by the increased incentive payments to upskill the next generation of tradies. We're cutting the red tape, training more tradies and investing in the infrastructure needed to unlock more housing.

We're also directly delivering 55,000 new social and affordable homes so that the people who need it most—our essential workers, older women and people doing it tough—have a safe, secure place to call home. The Housing Australia Future Fund is delivering those homes right now—housing for teachers, nurses, cleaners and carers who do the vital work to keep our communities going. In my electorate, 250 new social and affordable homes are opening up in Carseldine, Margate and Deception Bay thanks to our Housing Australia Future Fund. Just last week, I opened 82 new social and affordable homes right in Redcliffe. This was a collaboration between all three levels of government. We must continue to work together to build the homes that our community needs. These beautiful apartments will be the home for older locals who are downsizing or struggling with housing. The downsizing is freeing up larger homes for vulnerable families at risk of or facing homelessness. I met some of the new residents, who are very excited to be moving into their new accommodation—their new home, I should say.

This is what it means to govern for the many and not just the few, to look out for Australians who need a fair go and to make sure the next generation has the same opportunities as the last. We know housing is a big challenge. We know it won't be solved overnight. We also know that real, lasting change comes from government stepping up and not stepping away. In the end, that's what good government is about—helping people to build a better future for themselves and their families.

See this speech in context