STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr WILLCOX (Dawson) (13:51): You cannot solve a housing shortage by taxing housing investment, smashing market confidence and making it harder to get new homes built. Labor seem to think that, by crashing the housing market, young Australians would suddenly rush in and buy homes, but that's not what has happened. Westpac mortgage applications have crashed by 20 per cent since the budget.

NAB's mortgage lending has dropped by 15 per cent, and they expect it to get worse. Real estate agents are reporting no-shows at auctions. Clearing rates have fallen by 50 per cent.

A weaker market doesn't help young buyers. When builders stop pouring slabs and construction slows, supply dries up. You get fewer choices and rising rents, making it harder for everyday Australians to save for a deposit.

In an admission of total failure, even Labor's own budget forecasts show that they will build 35,000 fewer homes. This isn't economic management; it's pure sabotage. When you make it harder to build, you make it harder for the next generation to get a foot in the door.

When will this government learn? You cannot tax housing and expect to get more homes built. When you tax something, you get less of it.

Young Australians don't need a government that crashes confidence; they need a government that builds opportunity. Australians need a Liberal-National government.