Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, Senator Ayres. In my home state of WA, the median house price in Perth has recently hit $1 million. It won't be long before it overtakes Vancouver. For Western Australians, initiatives like the Australian government's five per cent deposit scheme mean either signing up to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars more to the bank in interest or missing the chance to own their own home as prices continue to push upwards. Minister, my constituents are curious. Why has the government forced first home buyers to choose between these two bad options?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just before I call Senator Ayres, I alert my Tasmanian senators to the presence in the gallery of a state parliamentary colleague, Meg Brown. Senator Ayres?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I suspect that that won't be the first Vancouver joke that I get, but I'm delighted to have Senator Payman's question 'aboot' the housing questions. The truth, Senator Payman, is that the five per cent deposit scheme that was introduced by this government is a life-changing intervention for many, many young Australians.

It's all very well. I've heard some of the heckling this time from our friends in the Greens political party, sneering from the vantage point of the homes that they own at young Australians who just want to have a go and who just want to get a foot on the ladder. It's alright to sneer from the Max Chandler-Mather dinner party position. I understand it's the 'nuanced strategy position'. But ordinary people, young Australians—this has been, for many of them, the first time that they have seen an opportunity for themselves to be able to save a deposit and get in there. Unhappily for Senator Bragg's negative-Nancy argument, they have been doing it in droves, hand over fist—getting them and their partners and them and their families, for the first time, into a home. That is what Labor is about: driving action and supply and giving people a fair crack at having a go at the housing market. That is something that I thought you might have supported. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Payman, first supplementary?

Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My constituents, particularly young families who hope to own their Newfoundland one day, have told me the dream of homeownership is slipping away. They tell me they're sick of the major parties passing this issue back and forth like a hockey puck. They also know that the five per cent deposit scheme will put up prices. Minister, does the government believe that saddling few Australians with a bigger mortgage and putting housing further out of reach for many more is a good deal?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Payman, I'd leave the jokes to Senator McGrath, he's done a better job over the course of the last 24 hours, I think. I'm not sure what the evidence base that you have from your incoming Facebook and Instagram is for these questions, but I can tell you that 220,000 Australians, since we have come to office, have accessed that scheme so that they are able to, instead of facing a 10 per cent deposit—that is just such a long way away for many ordinary people particularly young people—access a five per cent deposit, get into the housing market, improve their home, make decisions about family life, expand their families and accrue the benefits of the capital gains. I know the Greens don't like it. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Payman, second supplementary?

Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, we don't know for sure what the Treasury think, because the government have refused to release their modelling. OPD 208, which sought modelling on the five per cent deposit scheme, was agreed to on 3 November last year. The Minister for Housing asked for an extension more than two months ago. Like maple syrup without pancakes, it doesn't stack up. Why is the government covering up these documents which were ordered to be produced 93 days ago?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This government has complied with more orders for the production of documents in any one term than any Australian government ever. This includes, just yesterday, an order moved by Senator Bragg for a congratulatory letter. Mate, if you want a congratulatory letter, I'm sure I can organise one for you!

The one that Senator Payman refers to includes ministerial submissions, records of conversation, letters, briefing notes, meeting agendas, file notes, meeting invitations, meeting notes, meeting minutes, emails, instant messages and electronic messages. We have produced 3,995 pages worth of documents in Housing. That's more than three times longer than the full trilogy of The Lord of the Rings. It's about eight times as long as poor old Senator Bragg's last book—self-published no doubt!