13th Feb 2017, 12:14 PM – Representatives Motions - Housing Affordability - Let a vote happen

The majority voted against a motion introduced by McMahon MP Chris Bowen (Labor), which means it failed.

Motion text

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for McMahon from moving the following motion forthwith—

That the House:

(1) notes that:

(a) ordinary Australians are being locked out of the housing market, with only one in seven homes in Australia now purchased by first home buyers;

(b) the national housing affordability crisis has worsened over the last year with house prices increasing by 16 per cent in Sydney and 12 per cent in Melbourne;

(c) the Prime Minister has worsened the housing affordability crisis by:

(i) failing to appoint a Minister for Housing;

(ii) abolishing the National Housing Supply Council;

(iii) shutting down the National Rental Affordability Scheme;

(iv) cutting funding for homelessness services; and

(v) refusing to reform Australia’s generous tax concessions that favour property investors over first home buyers; and

(d) today is the one-year anniversary of Labor’s plan to improve housing affordability by reforming negative gearing and capital gains tax – reforms which have been criticised by the Government despite the fact the Treasurer has previously argued there were “excesses” in negative gearing; and

(2) therefore, calls on the Prime Minister to act on housing affordability by adopting Labor’s plan to reform negative gearing and capital gains tax.