Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Minister Watt. At the last election Labor promised to help more Australians access safe and affordable housing. I regularly hear from constituents in my home state of Tasmania, particularly those living in regional areas, who want to own their own home. How is the Albanese government's ambitious housing agenda helping Australians living in regional areas to buy their first home? And how successful have these policies been?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Urquhart for her question and her interest in wanting to see more regional Australians own their own home. The Albanese Labor government understands the importance of homeownership and the unique challenges in our regions, which is why we took to the election a commitment to establish a Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee to support eligible regional Australians to buy a home with as little as a five per cent deposit. And I know the Liberals and the Nationals hate hearing about a Labor government delivering to the regions—they hate it.

This commitment from Labor was delivered three months ahead of schedule. The Albanese Labor government has also expanded eligibility for the Home Guarantee Scheme to help more Australians into homeownership. Since July last year the First Home Guarantee and the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee have been open to joint applications with friends and family members, not just single, married or de facto applicants. The Family Home Guarantee has been expanded from single, natural or adoptive parents with dependants to include eligible borrowers who are single legal guardians of children, such as aunts, uncles and grandparents.

I'm pleased to update the Senate that the Albanese Labor government's expanded Home Guarantee Scheme has now supported over 100,000 people into homeownership since the election. And Senator Urquhart, I'm pleased to tell you, that includes 1,300 people in your home state of Tasmania, spread right across the state. Of those successful new—

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is that all?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Was that Senator Henderson who said that? Senator Henderson doesn't think it's a good thing that we've assisted 1,300 people in Tasmania into homeownership—very interesting. Of those successful new homeowners, 632 were in Hobart, 260 were in Launceston and north-east Tasmania, 28 were in in south-east Tasmania and 380 were in west and north-west Tasmania.

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

Senator Urquhart, a first supplementary?

Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

After a wasted decade under the Liberals and Nationals, it's great to see the Albanese government showing national leadership and offering support to make sure that Australians in regional communities have opportunities for homeownership—something that wasn't given over there. In August last year the government announced its Help to Buy Scheme. Minister, can you please update the Senate about the Albanese government's significant investments into the Help to Buy Scheme and how it will bring homeownership back into reach for more Australians, particularly Tasmanians who are looking to purchase a home?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Urquhart. I'm pleased to say that Labor's Help to Buy shared-equity program will provide a pathway to homeownership for people who have been locked out.

Eligible participants will only need a two per cent deposit for Help to Buy, and the government will support them with an equity stake of up to 40 per cent for new homes and up to 30 per cent for existing homes. In Tasmania this could mean assistance of up to $240,000 on a new home in Hobart and similar amounts around the state.

I'm not surprised that Mr Dutton and the coalition have said no to this program, because that's what they always say, but I was surprised to see the Greens political party yet again say no to helping Australians buy their own home, especially when so many have had taxpayers help them buy their own homes, like Senator McKim and Senator Faruqi, who each own four homes, or Senator Allman-Payne, who owns two homes. Labor wants to help young Australians buy just one home. The Greens should stop voting with Peter Dutton to block more housing.

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

Senator Watt, when referring to members of the other—

The:

Senator Watt, I am addressing you! I asked you yesterday and I'll ask you again today: when addressing members of the other house, use their correct title. Senator Urquhart, second supplementary?

Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week we had the Greens housing spokesperson and member for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather, state, 'We have enough homes for people to live in,' but that's not what I'm hearing from my constituents. What are the key challenges to delivering the Albanese government's vital assistance to help more regional Australians buy their first home?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We inherited many housing challenges when we came to office, with a big one being the need for more housing supply across the country. But one major housing challenge I didn't expect was the constant politicking from the Greens political party. They have opposed or delayed every single housing measure that we have introduced and criticised every dollar we have invested in affordable housing. The Greens talk a big game about housing, while they lead protests around the country to stop the construction of more than 3,200 homes right across the country. The Greens party say they want us to help renters buy a home, but now they block Labor's proposal that is literally called 'Help to Buy'. In a recent bubbling interview on the ABC Insiders program, their housing spokesperson said, 'We have more than enough homes for people to live in,' despite experts consistently calling for more supply. So now we know why the Greens keep voting with Mr Dutton to block Labor's plans to build homes: they think we have more than enough homes already. (Time expired)

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

Order! Senator McKim. Order! Senator McKenzie.