Anne Webster Mallee, National Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories
2:51 pm
My question is to the Minister for Housing. Does the minister know how many first home buyers now owe more money than their home is worth?
Clare O'Neil Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing
This is a variation of a question that I've now been asked multiple times, and I'm not changing my answer. The question is about house prices and the effect of the government's legislation that passed the parliament on Thursday, a piece of legislation where our side of the chamber was proud to stand up for first home buyers in our country, and it's not the only way that we're doing it. This is part of a massive housing agenda that our government is implementing to try to fix a broken system.
Clare O'Neil Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing
Let me be really clear about this. Those opposite have come into question time again and again uselessly defending a status quo that every other person in our country can see is broken. I say to those opposite, as I said to them last week: we have got a home ownership rate in this country falling through the floor.
Government members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
The minister will pause. The member for Spence is now warned. The member for Mallee on a point of order?
Anne Webster Mallee, National Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories
On relevance—the question was extremely tight. How many first home buyers now owe more money than their home is worth?
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
To the point of order, it has always been the case in a question like that that, if you are relevant to the topic area—which is the situation of first home buyers—it's in order.
Milton Dick Speaker
Yes, and I can appreciate that the member for Mallee and other members may want a number or figure. We've had this many times before. I can't compel the minister to give a fact or figure. I can compel her to be directly relevant about the policy topic she was asked about, but I'll hear from the Manager of Opposition Business on a further point of order.
Dan Tehan Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction
Thanks, Speaker. It's a point that you've made previously, which I think is a very good one:
The minister was asked a specific question . She is not entitled to then start talking about broad portfolio issues. She will need to keep her answer efficient to the question.
That's you, Speaker, on 27 March 2024.
Dan Tehan Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction
They were very wise words.
Milton Dick Speaker
Once again, maybe a mistiming—she was on her feet talking about the policy, so she wasn't being wideranging. While those words are absolutely correct and very wise, in this case, they don't apply. It was a good try. We'll continue on to make sure the minister is talking not just about the opposition but about the narrow area of policy she was asked about.
Clare O'Neil Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing
I'm talking to the parliament about the essential topic of first home buyers and homeownership rates in this country. I just want to remind the parliament and those in the public gallery who are with us today, we have got homeownership rates in our country falling through the floor. A low-income young couple in our country is half as likely to own their own home than they were in the year that I was born. I would really like to understand how far homeownership rates have to fall in this country for those opposite to see that we have a broken housing system in Australia.
What has happened to housing in the last roughly 40 years in our country has radically changed what it means to be aspirational in Australia today. We've got poll after poll telling us that the majority of Australia's young people believe they will never be able to own their own home in our country. The opposition used to be the party of homeownership. Now they're talking about having to get in experts to tell them what to believe in. I'll just finish by—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order?
Dan Tehan Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction
It is standing order 91. She is directly defying your order by going to the opposition.
Dan Tehan Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction
It is a question on negative equity.
Milton Dick Speaker
Yes. We're just going to get the minister to wrap up her answer. She says she's concluding. If she strays into opposition policy, I'll sit her down immediately.
Clare O'Neil Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing
I appreciate that. I'm making the point to the parliament that someone here has to stand up for first home buyers, and that's exactly what Labor did on Thursday.