Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I also rise to speak as part of the Youth Voice in Parliament this week. I have the privilege of delivering a speech by Angelie Beterov, a 20-year-old university student who lives in the electorate of Werriwa. She says:

'My ambition is similar to most young Australians: to own a home. However, this simple goal has become increasingly unfeasible with the current housing affordability crisis. In the last decade, the average price of home ownership has risen exponentially, while the average income has remained stagnant. This has led to decline in home ownership and a growth in renting. A third of Australians rent, and 60 per cent of rental properties are owned by investor landlords who own two properties or more. What does this mean for my generation? Research suggests an increase in class division; children of families who don't own a home will experience more difficulty when entering the housing market.

Australia needs to develop a national housing strategy where there's more support for those experiencing rental stress; increase funding for social and affordable housing and implement a quality audit of existing stock in the next iteration of the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement. As a current renter and a possible future homeowner, my request to parliament is to make these decisions with the future generation of the housing market in mind.'

I thank Angeline for contacting me and allowing me to give this speech.