Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Urban Development) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Minchin, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Does the minister recall saying in question time yesterday that conditions have never been better for young couples trying to buy their first home? Is the minister aware that the Howard government has presided over the worst ever first home buyer affordability in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory? Is the minister aware that the proportion of first home buyers now in the market is less than 17 per cent, well below the 21 per cent level when the government came to office? Is the minister aware that first home buyers now spend 28 per cent of their total income on mortgage payments, higher than at any time under Labor? Isn’t it really the case that first home buyer affordability has never been worse than under the Howard government? Why are so many couples and families currently unable to buy their own home?