Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I call the member for Lindsay for about two minutes.

Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When the Prime Minister visited Penrith in May, he spoke about delivering the policies that unlock the potential for all Australians. The Prime Minister said: 'This is why I'm in politics. I believe in people's aspirations.' So do I.

The Morrison government believes in supporting aspirational Australians, and we are backing aspirational Australians. In my first week in parliament, we delivered tax relief to over 77,000 workers in my electorate of Lindsay. In Western Sydney, we are creating jobs, delivering infrastructure upgrades to bust congestion and build safer roads, investing in our schools and hospitals and backing our small businesses with tax relief and lower energy costs.

I was proud that this week the Morrison government passed the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme to help Australians realise their aspirations to own their own home. Saving a deposit has become a much more significant barrier to entering the housing market. It can take 10 years for the average first home buyer to save a 20 per cent deposit. The scheme will support 10,000 first home buyers each financial year by guaranteeing eligible home buyers on low and middle incomes that they can purchase their first home with a deposit of as little as five per cent.

Having worked in the social and affordable housing sector, I know that getting into the housing market is critical to having financial security. Many hardworking Australians are locked out of this financial security by the barrier of a 20 per cent deposit. We are backing them in and rewarding their hard work by breaking down this barrier.

Prime Minister Howard described Lindsay as a microcosm of the Australian community, with lots of families, retired people, small businesses and community spirit. The Morrison government is committed to backing hardworking people in Western Sydney and across Australia, helping them reach their aspiration of owning their first home by delivering complementary incentives to reduce pressure on housing affordability and to support local communities.

House adjourned at 17 : 00