PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Mr BURNELL (Spence) (12:22): It's quite farcical, isn't it, that this lazy Liberal Party can't even come into this chamber and second their own private member's motion. It's unbelievable that they don't have someone in this chamber capable of seconding this motion. But I digress.
Owning a home has always been part of the Australian dream. It represents security, stability and the opportunity to build a better future for yourself and your family. For generations, Australians have worked hard with the belief that, if they put in the effort, homeownership would be within reach.
Today, for too many Australians, particularly young people and first home buyers, that dream has become increasingly difficult to achieve. That is why the Albanese Labor government has made housing one of our highest priorities. We are focused on making homeownership more accessible, increasing housing supply and ensuring that more Australians have the opportunity to own a home of their own.
Nowhere is that commitment clearer than in the North. More than 2,000 local residents have already purchased a home through the Home Guarantee Scheme, allowing those eligible to buy with as little as a five per cent deposit. Behind every one of those figures is a family that has been able to move from renting to owning and to invest in their future with confidence.
We're also delivering one of the most significant housing investments that South Australia has seen in decades. Our landmark agreement with the South Australian government will unlock around 17,000 new homes across Adelaide's northern suburbs. Importantly, almost 7,000 of those homes will be reserved for first home buyers, giving thousands more Australians the opportunity to enter the housing market.
Delivering more homes requires more than simply identifying land. Communities need roads, water infrastructure, utilities and the essential services that allow new neighbourhoods to grow. That is why the Commonwealth is investing almost $668 million to remove the barriers that have delayed housing developments and constrained supply.
A $300 million concessional loan will expand water infrastructure throughout Adelaide's northern suburbs, directly supporting the delivery of around 4,000 additional homes. A further $50 million concessional loan will establish a 'first home buyer only' precinct within the Playford Alive urban renewal project, creating another 400 homes reserved exclusively for Australians purchasing their first property.
Alongside that investment, the Commonwealth is providing $133.6 million in grant funding, matched by the South Australian government, to deliver a further 750 dwellings through the complementary First Home Buyers program. These investments are about far more than construction. They are about creating opportunities for families, supporting local jobs, strengthening communities and ensuring that housing supply keeps pace with South Australia's growing population.
This approach stands in stark contrast to what Australia experienced under the former coalition government. For much of their nine years in office they did not even appoint a dedicated housing minister. At a time when affordability pressures were increasing and supply was falling behind demand, there were no national leadership, no coordinated plan and no meaningful investment to address the challenge.
The Albanese Labor government has fundamentally changed that approach. We have committed $47 billion towards the most ambitious national housing agenda in generations. The Homes for Australia plan will make it easier to buy, make it better to rent, and build more homes.
We have taken the Commonwealth from being a passive observer of Australia's housing challenges under those opposite to being an active partner in increasing supply and improving affordability. Housing affordability cannot be solved through slogans or political pointscoring. It requires governments that are prepared to invest and tackle the structural barriers that have held back new housing for too long.
That is exactly what the Albanese Labor government is doing. Unfortunately, whenever these reforms have come before this parliament, those opposite have chosen obstruction over solutions. The three right-wing parties opposite—the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation—all voted against our plan to cut income taxes and make the housing market fairer.
When presented with the opportunity to support practical measures that make life easier for Australians, they chose to vote no. Australians deserve better than that. They deserve a government that is prepared to take responsibility, make the necessary investments and deliver the homes that our growing nation needs.
Whether it's helping first home buyers purchase with a five per cent deposit, unlocking thousands of new homes across Adelaide's northern suburbs or investing in the infrastructure that allows communities to grow, the Albanese Labor government is getting on with the job.