House debates Questions without Notice
Housing Affordability
Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing
3:15 pm
My question is to the Minister for Housing, and it concerns the recently announced First Home Saver account. Can the minister explain to the House why a person earning $180,000 a year is entitled to a government co-contribution of $1,500 and a young single apprentice earning $10,000 a year is entitled to a government co-contribution of only $750?
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing
Thank you so much for the question. I think it is terrific that we have finally got a shadow minister for housing, given there was no minister for housing for 10 long years. The Rudd Labor government is the first government for more than a decade to pay any attention to the issues of affordability. We have committed to a national rental affordability scheme that will build 50,000 new, affordable rental properties.
Luke Hartsuyker Cowper, National Party, Deputy Leader of Opposition Business in the House
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order that goes to relevance. The question was about the differential eligibility of a person on $180,000 as opposed to an apprentice on $10,000.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
We are 30 seconds into the answer. If the House will keep quiet, we will get to the answer.
Roger Price Chifley, Australian Labor Party
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. You invite members to take the points of order straightaway. Surely this House is setting world’s best practice in terms of the number of points of order raised on relevance. At what point do these points of order become frivolous?
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing
Our National Rental Affordability Scheme, our Housing Affordability Fund and, more recently, our First Home Saver account provide the best opportunity that young Australians have had to save for their first home. We have seen a declining proportion of young Australians becoming first home owners, because they simply cannot afford a deposit.
Don Randall Canning, Liberal Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary
Mr Randall interjecting
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing
What happens when they cannot afford a deposit is that they borrow 95 per cent, 100 per cent, 105 per cent of the value of their homes. The first question today was about defaulting. In many circumstances, the reason that people are defaulting is that they have been forced to borrow too great a proportion of the value of their home.
Brendan Nelson Bradfield, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order that goes to relevance. The question was: why does a person on $180,000 a year get twice the benefit of a person on $10,000 a year?
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Order! The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. The minister will continue with her response.
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing
The benefits of the First Home Saver account reflect the same benefits that relate to superannuation. People on higher incomes benefit more from putting extra money into superannuation. The reason that we have introduced the First Home Saver account is that your government when in power did nothing for first home buyers. We saw a smaller proportion of young Australians buying their first homes than ever before, because you did nothing for housing affordability.
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Finance, Competition Policy and Deregulation
That is what happens when you listen to Swannie: you give stupid answers like that!