Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

So let me get this straight. Senator Pauline Hanson thinks that the Labor Party is forcing young people to compete with foreign owners for a home. Alright, that's a great Sky News headline, but is it a valid, factual statement? Senator Hanson is so used to being a panellist on TV she forgets her actual job, paid by the taxpayer, is to represent Australians. It's to use all the facts available to create the best outcomes for ordinary people.

So let's look at the facts. Are Australian first home buyers missing out on owning a home because of foreign owners? From a very quick google you'll learn than less than two per cent of houses have foreign owners—less than two per cent. Senator Hanson, do you really think that is the key problem stopping first home buyers from getting into the housing market? Wake up, Senator. Did you know that Google is free? Foreign owners account for less than two per cent, which is about 44,000 dwellings. They tend to own just one house, and that is more often for new builds, not existing homes.

Let's compare that to the Australian property investors who own more than 10 properties each—yes, 10 each. That's a lot—far more than the average person. There are around 2½ thousand Australians who own or part own 10 or more rental properties. These investors control more than 33,200 rentals, which is equal to more than half of all the rentals in Tasmania. We also have ABS data that tells us that these property moguls are barely helping build supply. Only about 23 per cent of investor loans are for new housing. If we take racism out of it, what do we think is harming first home buyers by crowding out the market—someone owning one property or someone owning 10 existing homes?

Yeah, we need strong limits on foreign ownership in Australia! That's especially of our existing homes—wait! Once again, Senator Hanson didn't know Google is free. Foreign owners have been banned from buying established dwellings since mid last year. How are foreign owners taking homes away from Australians if they aren't even allowed to buy them anymore? As Senator Walker said, if Senator Hanson were here more often, she might actually know that. Senator Pauline Hanson, please explain; make that make sense.

We already have strong restrictions on foreign owners in the housing market, but we don't have strong restrictions on the people buying up a ridiculous number of houses and generally crowding out first home buyers from the market. Senator Hanson, just go and ask Gina Rinehart how many properties she's taken away from first home buyers. I'll give you a hint; it's many, many more than 10. This motion isn't trying to help people. It's based on racism and fake news.