Hon. MAJ SCANLON (Gaven—ALP) (Minister for Housing, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Public Works) (10.19 am): From the biggest energy rebate in the country to free kindy, TAFE and freezing car rego, it is this government that is taking action to put more money back in the pockets of Queensland households. Through our Homes for Queenslanders plan, we will deliver more affordable housing and make renting fairer, providing direct cost-of-living relief with a $160 million package to provide more subsidies, grants and other supports to renters. We are also helping first home owners break into the market by doubling the First Home Owner Grant and increasing our regional finance loan support.

Today, I will be introducing legislation to help thousands more Queenslanders buy their own home. We do not want home ownership to be available only to those who have access to the bank of mum and dad. That is why we want Queensland to become the first state in the country to legislate the Help to Buy scheme. With just a minimum two per cent deposit, Queenslanders can receive a contribution of up to 40 per cent for a new home. It will open the door of home ownership for thousands of Queenslanders later this year—if the LNP stop putting up barriers at every turn. For the program to happen, Help to Buy will need to pass at both the state and federal level, but right now the LNP and the Greens are blocking this legislation in Canberra. Peter Dutton and Queensland’s federal LNP MPs have all voted no on Help to Buy and are gearing up to do the same when it hits the Senate. One of their MPs had the gall to say— I don’t know anyone who wants to skip hand in hand with the Australian government down the path to the first front door that they have ever owned.

I can tell the House right now that there are Queensland families keen to be a part of this program so they can buy their own home. We on this side of the House back Queenslanders on home ownership and on cost-of-living support, and we stand up for our state. Slick slogans do not increase home ownership. Policies like this do. It is only this Labor government that can be trusted to deliver more homes for Queenslanders with a comprehensive plan to help first home owners, support Queensland renters, boost social housing and support for homelessness organisations while building more homes faster.