Ms LAWRIE - 2012-12-05
Based on realestate.com, on Monday, prior to your first homeowner changes, there were 1269 homes in Darwin and Palmerston on the market for which first homeowners were eligible for the $25 000 assistance. Today, following your changes, there are only 117 homes in Darwin and Palmerston on the market for which first homeowners are eligible for $25 000. How does making 1000 homes ineligible for first homeowners help them?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Opposition Leader for her question. The reality is housing prices in the Northern Territory were amongst the highest in this country and probably one of the major reasons people were walking out of this place in droves. I speak to business people every day about the difficulties they have in getting people to stay here because the wages they are paying are not sustainable with the rents in the Northern Territory.
It is true to say the previous government had lost the plot when it came to managing rising housing costs in the Northern Territory. The reality is, if they really analysed what their programs were doing before, what they were focusing was raising the prices of houses.
The fact is, if you add to the pool of eligible people into a market where you do not add to the stock, you push the prices up. It does not take Einstein to work that out. Your programs attributed …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question was how does making 1000 homes ineligible for first homebuyers help them, because that is what you are doing.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister for Housing, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: Madam Speaker, I am trying to answer the question. It is quite clear the former Treasurer has no idea when it comes to what drives the market in the Northern Territory. The lack of land release drove up prices. The fact your own programs had to have the caps lifted was a direct result of a failed program. That is the measure of what a failure this program was.
The programs we have developed will focus on new builds in the Northern Territory. That will have a direct benefit to Territorians and those people who want to live here in the long term. If there is something we can do as a government which can help manage the housing stock in the Northern Territory, it is focus on the first homebuyers, focus on new builds, and that is what we are focusing on.
The last government of the Northern Territory lost the plot when it came to managing housing stock in the Northern Territory. Their program of failed land release pushed up the prices. That is a fact.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113. Two-and-three-quarter minutes and the minister will not answer the question.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Please be seated.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Opposition Leader for her question. The reality is housing prices in the Northern Territory were amongst the highest in this country and probably one of the major reasons people were walking out of this place in droves. I speak to business people every day about the difficulties they have in getting people to stay here because the wages they are paying are not sustainable with the rents in the Northern Territory.
It is true to say the previous government had lost the plot when it came to managing rising housing costs in the Northern Territory. The reality is, if they really analysed what their programs were doing before, what they were focusing was raising the prices of houses.
The fact is, if you add to the pool of eligible people into a market where you do not add to the stock, you push the prices up. It does not take Einstein to work that out. Your programs attributed …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question was how does making 1000 homes ineligible for first homebuyers help them, because that is what you are doing.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister for Housing, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: Madam Speaker, I am trying to answer the question. It is quite clear the former Treasurer has no idea when it comes to what drives the market in the Northern Territory. The lack of land release drove up prices. The fact your own programs had to have the caps lifted was a direct result of a failed program. That is the measure of what a failure this program was.
The programs we have developed will focus on new builds in the Northern Territory. That will have a direct benefit to Territorians and those people who want to live here in the long term. If there is something we can do as a government which can help manage the housing stock in the Northern Territory, it is focus on the first homebuyers, focus on new builds, and that is what we are focusing on.
The last government of the Northern Territory lost the plot when it came to managing housing stock in the Northern Territory. Their program of failed land release pushed up the prices. That is a fact.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113. Two-and-three-quarter minutes and the minister will not answer the question.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Please be seated.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016