16 News

The Albanese Labor Government is helping more Australians realise their dream of home ownership sooner, by launching 5 per cent deposits for all first home buyers early on 1 October 2025, instead of next year.

Through the expanded 5 per cent deposit scheme, the Albanese Government will guarantee a portion of a first home buyer’s home loan, so they can purchase with a lower deposit and not pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance.

Under the changes, all first home buyers will have access, with no caps on places or income limits. Property price caps will also be set higher in line with average house prices, providing access to a greater variety of homes.

For the average first home buyer, access to the scheme cuts years off the time it takes to save for a deposit and saves tens of thousands of dollars on Lenders Mortgage Insurance. In just the first year alone, first home buyers using the scheme are expected to avoid around $1.5 billion in potential mortgage insurance costs.

The median home price in Australia today is $844,000 and 5 per cent of that is $42,200. The last time $42,200 covered the 20 per cent deposit for a median home was 2002, which shows the generational scale of this change.

The expanded scheme means a first home buyer in Brisbane can purchase a $1 million home with a $50,000 deposit. They could save up to 10 years off the time it takes to save for a deposit, save about $42,000 in mortgage insurance, and could pay up to $350,000 towards their own loan instead of paying rent.

It means that a first home buyer in Bendigo could purchase a $600,000 home with only a $30,000 deposit. They could save up to 6 years off the time it takes to save for a deposit, save about $25,000 in mortgage insurance, and could pay up to $126,000 towards their own loan instead of paying rent.

After consulting with industry, the Government will also direct Housing Australia to promote the diversity of lenders who offer the scheme, giving first home buyers greater choice to buy a home through smaller, customer-owned and regional banks.

Labor was re-elected with a clear mandate to bring down the deposit hurdle for first home buyers and this is just one part of the Albanese Labor Government’s ambitious $43 billion housing agenda. We are building more homes, backing first home buyers, and supporting renters.

Since coming to office in 2022, Labor has helped over 180,000 first home buyers get a home of their own with a lower deposit. On average, there have been 6,000 more first home buyer loans a year under Labor compared to the Coalition’s previous period in office.

For more information on the 5 per cent deposits scheme, go to the Housing Australia website.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“We want to help young people and first home buyers achieve the dream of home ownership sooner.

“Bringing the start date of our 5 per cent deposit scheme forward will do just that.

“Getting more Australians into their own home quicker, while saving them money along the way.

“Labor was re-elected with a clear mandate to bring down the deposit hurdle for first home buyers, and we’re delivering.”

Minister for Housing, Clare O’Neil

“5 per cent deposits for all first home buyers will mean people can get into their own home sooner.”

“The Albanese Labor Government is stepping up to level the playing field and back a new generation of first home buyers into the housing market.”

“It’s just not right that an entire generation of young Australians have been locked out of the housing market – saving for decades while paying off someone else’s mortgage. So Labor’s changing it.”

“Yesterday we announced reforms to unlock tens of thousands of new homes and today we’re announcing changes to help tens of thousands of first home buyers get into home ownership.”

Since the terrible events of October 7, 2023 we have witnessed a number of appalling antisemitic attacks against Australia’s Jewish community.

The Albanese Government asked ASIO and the Australian Federal Police to investigate these incidents as a priority because they have no place in Australia.

Enough credible intelligence has now been gathered to reach the deeply disturbing conclusion that the Iranian Government has directed at least two of these attacks.

Iran has sought to disguise its involvement but ASIO assesses it was behind the attacks on:

• Lewis’ Continental Kitchen in Sydney on October 20 last year; and
• The Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on December 6 last year

ASIO assesses it is likely Iran directed further attacks as well.

These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil. This is an attack on our society, aimed at creating fear, stoking internal divisions and eroding social cohesion.

These attacks on our society are totally unacceptable and the Australian Government is taking strong and decisive action in response:

• We have informed the Iranian ambassador to Australia he and three additional Iranian diplomats will be expelled.
• We have suspended operations at our embassy in Tehran and all our diplomats are now safe in a third country.
• The Government will legislate so we can list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – the IRGC – as a terrorist organisation.

The Australian people want the killing and hatred to stop, and they don’t want the conflict in the Middle East brought here.

Iran has sought to do just that. They have sought to harm and terrify Jewish Australians, and to sow hatred and division in our community.

The actions of the Albanese Government send a clear message that we stand against antisemitism and violence.

It also sends a message to those who try to interfere in our country: your aggression will not be tolerated.

The Greens say the Government’s roundtable has delivered nothing for workers, renters and first home buyers, according to Greens Senator Barbara Pocock.

With the Treasurer just today identifying the need to move on intergenerational inequality, the Greens say the government must move beyond talk, into action on tax reform and improved conditions for workers.

Senator Larissa Waters, Leader of the Australian Greens:

“What a flop that the roundtable didn’t result in anything more than Labor’s minimal pre-election plans. No action on big corporations paying their fair share, no changing housing tax settings that have cooked affordability, and no understanding that climate action is key to future economic prosperity. What a visionless approach,” Senator Waters said.

“The roundtable didn’t consider taxes on rich coal and gas corporations or take action on handouts for wealthy property investors. It didn’t move us towards a four day work week or raise income support. Instead, the major outcomes seem likely to push up emissions and slow down rooftop solar.

“The Treasurer’s calls for action on intergenerational inequality moments after the economic roundtable finished show how little the three day event achieved.

“Labor can’t keep putting off important reforms year after year, talking about problems like the housing crisis or intergenerational inequality while doing little to fix them. It’s time to put the talk aside and take action.”

Australian Greens spokesperson for finance, employment and workplace relations, Senator Barbara Pocock:

“This is a missed opportunity for bold action from the Government. Labor could deliver genuine tax reform today that would tackle intergenerational inequality, improve conditions for workers and boost productivity. Long delays on tax reform aren’t going to fix anything.

“Labor is supposed to be the party of the worker and yet its economic roundtable has delivered nothing for workers. Despite weeks of proposals from unions, we’ve seen zero commitments from the Government to improving working conditions that would ultimately boost productivity. What’s the point of inviting workers’ representatives to a roundtable if you’re not going to listen to them.

“The evidence is clear – flexible working arrangements – such as the right to work from home and a shorter working week with the same pay – reduce the time spent on commuting, improve work-life balance, increase mental and physical wellbeing, and boosts workforce participation and productivity. They are good for women.

“This is about justice for working people. The profit share of GDP has risen while workers’ share has shrunk. It’s time for workers to get their fair share. The Government has the support of unions for real reform for workers and their families. The Greens stand ready to pass them in parliament. 

“Ending the housing crisis is possible but cutting red tape won’t cut it. We have to bite the bullet on tax. That means winding back unfair tax handouts to wealthy property investors which are cooking our housing system, fuelling intergenerational inequality and helping to shut an entire generation out of home ownership.

“Unless the Government makes the necessary reforms to the tax concessions for property investors, we’ll continue to see house prices rise and rents spiral. Labor must listen to the experts and deliver tax reforms that will actually help Australians put a roof over their head.

“Labor must deliver on essential tax reform to deal with the housing crisis, ensure workers get their fair share and strengthen flexible working arrangements which we know boosts productivity.” 

Labor’s Housing Minister Clare O’Neil’s announcement today to bring forward guarantees for a 5% deposit for first-home buyers to avoid mortgage insurance will only drive up house prices for Australians trying to get into the market.

We have seen today Labor move its first housing bill (Defence Housing Australia Amendment Bill 2025) which, incredibly, builds public homes for US troops and defence contractors. In the midst of a national housing crisis, where are Labor’s priorities for Australians?

Australia’s housing crisis can’t be fixed until the Government tackles the key driver, and that is, winding back tax discounts for wealthy property investors that lock out first-home buyers and force rents to skyrocket.

Greens spokesperson for housing Senator Barbara Pocock:

“This is a furphy designed to sound good but actually will continue to drive up house prices – turbocharging higher prices and bigger debts for first-home buyers. Experts agree these demand-side schemes just drive prices up, the only ones who benefit from this scheme are the banks and property investors.

“People will still be borrowing 95 percent of their mortgage and with median property values at eight times the typical annual household income, that leaves households highly vulnerable to huge repayments. 

“We need real action on housing, not tinkering, and that means winding back tax breaks for wealthy property investors and building affordable houses in the places where Australians need them.

“This scheme won’t help first-home buyers. Economists and even Treasury’s own modelling say this scheme will force house prices to go up, which will leave more people in higher levels of debt. 

“The Greens won’t stand in the way of things that aim to help first-home buyers. However, the Government has to look at the bigger picture because house prices are skyrocketing and more demand-side measures are only going to make that problem worse. 

“Our tax system rewards wealthy property investors and pushes up prices. Every day that negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount stay in place is another day that first-home buyers are outbid by property investors at auctions around the country. 

“The Government has a real opportunity in this progressive parliament to fix the housing crisis and they must take it, otherwise generations will be locked out of affordable housing forever.”

Senator Hanson-Young has called on the AFL to dump slur-merchant Snoop Dogg as the AFL Grand Final entertainment, and instead let an Aussie artist take the stage.

Find footage of her speech in parliament here.

Greens spokesperson for the arts, Sarah Hanson-Young:

“The irony is not lost on many AFL fans that just last week they suspended Izak Rankine for using a homophobic slur, yet Snoop Dogg is set to get $2 million to play his misogynistic, homophobic music on our turf.

“The AFL is a cultural institution in Australia, and cultural institutions should be backing homegrown talent.

“At a time when Aussie artists are copping the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis, we need proper investment in our music industry.

“If it’s an Aussie game, it should be an Aussie artist playing.

“With over 6 million people tuning into the AFL Grand Final year on year, this is a prime time slot to platform homegrown talent. It’s time to let Aussie artists rock the ‘G’.

“I urge the AFL to have the guts to dump slur-merchant Snoop Dogg and let an Aussie artist rock the stage instead.”

On the first day of the resumed Parliament, the Australian Greens have successfully established a Senate Inquiry into the quality and safety of early childhood education and care (ECEC).

The inquiry follows last week’s meeting of education ministers, which delivered a series of piecemeal measures such as CCTV and a national register. While welcome, the Greens warn these steps alone won’t address the deep, systemic issues in childcare that have seen families lose trust in the system.

The inquiry will examine the effectiveness of the regulatory framework, the pressures facing the workforce, and whether the current funding model supports quality and safety. It will also provide a platform for families, educators and advocates to share their experiences, and deliver recommendations for both immediate improvements and long-term reforms towards universal early learning.

The inquiry will report back in early 2026.

Greens spokesperson for early education and care, Senator Steph Hodgins-May: 

“Families have lost confidence in the childcare system, and tinkering around the edges with CCTV and registers won’t bring that trust back.

“This Senate Inquiry will shine a light on a broken system by exposing the conditions that allow abuse, and laying down a clear path to reform through fixing the funding model, lifting the workforce, and strengthening regulation.

“There’s nothing more important than a safe, high-quality future for our kids. That means lifting standards now – not slapping a band-aid on after harm has already occurred.

“Importantly, this Inquiry will give families, educators and advocates a national platform to share their stories and demand change.

“This inquiry can help pave the way towards the universal early learning legacy the Prime Minister has promised, but so far delayed.

“We welcome cross-parliament backing to put the safety of our kids above party politics.”