Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Home Ownership) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Recent research from Finder reveals that 42 per cent of Australian mortgage holders were struggling to meet their home loan repayments in August. It's the highest level of mortgage stress in many years. The average owner-occupier mortgage now has risen to $634,000, a 9.3 per cent increase from 2023. Meanwhile, yesterday's latest building activity data shows the government's housing agenda is making things worse. Between 2023 and 2024, home-building commencements dropped 8.8 per cent to the lowest level in a decade, with just 158,690 new starts. Why is Labor's housing policy making a bad situation even worse?