Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Treasurer, upon notice, on 3 August 2012:

With reference to the meeting of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in April 2010, in which COAG agreed that the Housing Supply and Affordability Reform Working Party would report to COAG on the impact of the First Home Owners Scheme by the end of 2010 [Attachment B, COAG Communiqué 19 and 20 April 2010]:

(1) Has the Working Party reported to COAG on the impact of the First Home Owners Scheme.

(2) What is the current status of the report and when will it be released publicly.

(3) Will a response from COAG be provided on the report and when would this be expected.

(4) Given that the COAG website currently states 'In April 2010, COAG endorsed a housing supply and affordability reform agenda to build on current initiatives and provide new reform options to decrease the time it takes to bring housing to the market, and to reform government policies that    artificially stimulate demand or act as barriers to supply', can specific examples of reform of government policies that artificially stimulate demand, to date be provided.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) Yes, the Housing Supply and Affordability Reform (HSAR) Working Party reported to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) on the impact of the First Home Owners Scheme (FHOS) as part of its Final Housing Supply and Affordability Reform Report (the report).

(2) COAG publicly released the report on 30 August 2012.

(3) COAG has agreed to the report's recommendations.

(4) The New South Wales 2012-13 Budget included a proposal to reform the FHOS by restricting grants to the purchase of newly-constructed dwellings.