Ellie Whiteaker (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak against this motion, put forward by Senator Bragg, because, seriously, this is nothing but an attempt by the opposition to distract from the real reason why we're in this housing crisis. Let's take a trip down memory lane. The coalition had nearly a decade in government—nearly a decade. What did they do? They cut housing investment and, since then, have opposed every single housing initiative that the Albanese Labor government have put forward since we came to office. They left housing supply to the market, and their only idea now is to cut the wages of the people who build the homes that we need. Frankly, I think it's un-Australian. Every Australian deserves a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. And, yes, every Australian deserves a place to call home. That is why the Albanese Labor government is doing everything we can to get more people, more young people, into homes. It's why we're taking real action to build more homes, to build them faster and to make them easier not just to buy but also to rent.

Our $43 billion Homes for Australia Plan is the most ambitious housing strategy in generations. It is well beyond anything those opposite even considered doing when they were in government. The system has been broken for too long. Labor knows that the answer is pretty simple—build more homes. Help young people get into their own home without having to access their superannuation, which they'll need in their retirement. It is only the Albanese Labor government that has a plan to tackle this challenge, the only government that has a plan to build more homes, investing $10 billion to build up to 100,000 homes right across the country, specifically for first home buyers, without any competition from property investors. That is funding that supports infrastructure, land purchases and construction. It is the only government committed to building homes faster, speeding up the pace of building, with investment in advanced manufacturing of prefab and modular homes that will cut build times by up to 50 per cent. And, of course, we're the only government that will continue building homes for the future, investing in the workforce to get it done, fast-tracking the qualification of 6,000 construction tradies and experienced workers, getting them on the tools and offering $10,000 in incentive payments to apprentices in construction. That incentive kicked off on 1 July, with payments made every six months and then again at completion of the training, recognising the value of hands-on hard work.

Of course, it's not just about supply. It's also about making it easier for average Australians to get into the housing market. Already this financial year, 50,000 new places are available under the Home Guarantee Scheme, including 35,000 under the First Home Guarantee, 10,000 under the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee and 5,000 under the Family Home Guarantee for single parents. This scheme helps eligible buyers purchase a home with a deposit of as little as two or five per cent without paying lenders mortgage insurance, saving people tens of thousands of dollars and getting them into their own home.

With Labor's Help to Buy shared-equity scheme launching later this year, the Commonwealth will contribute up to 40 per cent of the cost of a home, which means smaller deposits, smaller mortgages and a real shot at homeownership for young Australians. A home is not just where someone sleeps. It's where you build a life. It's where people feel secure. It's why we are committed, as a government, to getting more young people and more Australian families into a home. We are the only party who are committed to doing that.