QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (14:47): I'm asked about house prices and our tax policy, and I'm more than happy to announce that our tax policy is indeed about helping first home owners get into their own home. The primary purpose of housing is a secure roof over people's heads, and that is what is being delivered. It's being delivered for people like Kristian Williams, 31.
He'd given up on ever owning a home of his own in the electorate of Macnamara: I was trying to save pretty aggressively ... and you just read there's another 7 per cent increase this month, there's a 2 per cent increase this month … it just feels like a runaway dream at that point. … … … I'm feeling a little bit more confident now … In Albury, Andrea Lever, Managing Director at Ray White Albury North, said this: 'First home buyer confidence is on the rise.
I don't feel they're competing with as many investors.' Jason Barnett in Geelong, the Managing Director of Barnett Real Estate, said: 'First home buyers are the active market.' In Camperdown, in the electorate of Sydney, Juan D'Arcy said that the purchasers of a two-bedroom warehouse conversion apartment were familiar with the area and they wanted to live in a property that was close to the action.
They're real people. The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister will pause a moment. Mr Ng interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Menzies will leave the chamber under 94(a).
When I'm listening to the Leader of the Opposition or any member making a point of order, do not interject. The Leader of the Opposition, on a point of order? The member for Menzies then left the chamber.
Mr Taylor: On relevance—the Prime Minister hasn't even attempted to answer the question of whether he will guarantee that house prices won't fall further. The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister was asked about the prices of houses and tax policy, as he indicated. He's reading some examples into the Hansard, into the record, regarding the issue.
I don't know what he's going to say next, but, if he's reading examples about the topic he was asked about—people buying houses—that is pretty relevant to the question. I'll listen carefully to make sure he is being directly relevant. Mr ALBANESE: I take the interjection from the Leader of the Opposition.
He said, 'Why is it relevant?' I'll tell you what's relevant: people getting into their own home. That's what's relevant—people like Brooklyn and Lachie and their dog, Roscoe, in the electorate of Corangamite, where we were at Clifton Springs just a little while ago. This is what they had to say: 'Renting was frustrating because our money wasn't going anywhere, but now it is.' That's exactly the point.
They had a chance to invest in themselves— Mr Small interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Forrest is warned. Mr ALBANESE: in a roof over their own head with the security that it got. That is happening in electorates and in states and territories right around this nation.
That is what we are aiming for: making sure that young people get a fair crack—unlike those opposite, whose housing spokesperson said just yesterday on ABC that they basically lost their way for two decades.