QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Ms O'NEIL (Hotham—Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness and Minister for Cities) (15:04): What a great question from the member for Bass. As we come to the end of question time for today, what a stark contrast this draws from the question that was just asked by those opposite—a hardworking local member who comes into this parliament week after week to advocate for her constituents, especially those who aspire to their own home, because her community, as mine, understands that there is no greater aspiration in this country than owning the home that you live in.

This is a place you build your future; it's where your family can thrive. That's exactly what Labor's Homes for Australia plan is delivering. I want to tell you about Christy and her beautiful family from Tasmania.

Before buying their home through Labor's five per cent deposit scheme, they were living in an isolated area outside Campbell Town. When they found out they were eligible for this program, Christy said they were over the moon. They've been able to get into their own home.

Now, they're living much closer to town, their 10-year-old son no longer has a long bus ride to school, and he gets to ride his bike instead. They live around the corner from the skate park, and Christy says owning her own home has brought their family even closer together. Now, this beautiful family is planning renovations, and they're making this home truly their own.

This is what homeownership is about for Australians. It's not just about buying a house. This is about security.

It's about opportunity, and it's about giving your kids the future that they deserve. I'm asked about alternatives, and the three right-wing parties of the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation have opposed every measure that our government has put in place to support first home buyers. I wonder what those opposite would say to Christy and her family who, in all likelihood, would still be renting if it were up to those opposite.

Would they tell that family just to be happy stuck in lifelong renting outside of town? Would they tell her 10-year-old son that it's better for him to be taking that long bus ride rather than riding his bike to school? These are the kinds of consequences that their policies lead us to.

Remember, those opposite have opposed the expansion of the five per cent deposit program—something that's got 260,000 Australians into a home of their own. They want to scrap help to buy, which helps 10,000 people a year into their own home, and they want to double down on taxing every person in this country to subsidise investors to outbid first home owners in every auction in this country.

As we come to the end of the budget sitting, this is becoming abundantly clear. We have a party over here who are the last people left in our country who cannot see our broken housing system, cannot see the pain this is causing and continue to defend the status quo. Our government wants to realise the aspiration of families like Christy's.

That's why we're delivering real change for Australia's first home buyers.