Schubert Electorate

Mrs HURN (Schubert) (15:26): I would just like to echo a couple of comments made by the member for Chaffey in relation to the wine industry. Last week, I was fortunate enough to head out to Seppeltsfield and see the cogs in action, the wheels in action, for what is hopefully a big vintage and a quality vintage. I want to give a shout-out to everyone who is on the grind right across the region in our wineries, doing various jobs. Every single person whom I saw at Seppeltsfield last week plays such a significant role in ensuring that the Barossa's reputation, the Adelaide Hills' reputation and, in fact, the reputation of our wine industry right across South Australia is projected well onto the international stage. Well done to everyone who is on the grind with the vintage. Keep at it. I am hopeful for some really quality produce at the end of it.

One issue that I really wanted to address today—and it is often commented on in this house—is around housing affordability. This is one of the biggest issues that particularly young people are coming to my office about. It is certainly something that we hear from right across all ages. It does not matter how old you are, how young you are, housing affordability and access to affordable renting is a big issue and one that collectively we need to work to get on top of. We know that the housing market is extraordinarily tight and, for many people, buying their first home is simply out of reach. That great Australian dream, that idea that you can get a piece of land, put a home on it and secure it for you and your family well into the future, is drifting further and further away.

There were some interesting reports that came out this week and in recent times. This one I found particularly interesting. A $150,000-plus household income is needed to afford new housing across multiple suburbs in Adelaide—extraordinary. Property Council research reveals that Adelaide is now the nation's second most unaffordable housing market after Sydney when considering prices relative to income. The bleak outlook is intensified by the forecast of a more than 10 per cent surge by 2030 in the proportion of household income required to service a mortgage for an entry-level Adelaide home.

Then we have rental affordability, which is at its worst level in almost two decades and possibly the worst in the state's history. This is an enormous issue that is impacting people right across South Australia. It is impacting people in my own local electorate, where we have barely a single home available for rent. It is a huge concern for regional communities, and it means that young people are leaving our region, unable to put down their roots. That really concerns me, because we want our young people and our next generation to stay here locally, but they cannot live with mum and dad forever. They want to buy a home, and these recent reports are really concerning, showing that the great Aussie dream of owning your home is drifting further and further away.

Before the pandemic South Australia was actually the second most affordable state, which I found really interesting. One lever that the Liberal Party has put forward as an option to improve this is in relation to stamp duty relief. We are pleased to see that stamp duty relief is on offer for those who buy a newly-built home, but there is currently no assistance for those who want to purchase an existing property—and for many people building a new home is just not as feasible as buying an existing one.

When we know that people are already feeling the pinch from cost-of-living pressures, every single dollar that can be saved counts. That is why I was really pleased that the Liberal Party is pushing for a $10,000 stamp duty discount on existing properties valued up to $750,000 for first-homebuyers. We have called on the state government to act. It is not too late; we have the budget coming up in a couple of months' time and, if the government is not up to the task on that, then if we are elected at the next election we will certainly be implementing that. It will provide great relief to so many people right across the community.

In the short time I have left I want to give a shout-out to all the regional shows right across my electorate. We have had the Tanunda Show and Angaston, and we had Mount Pleasant on the weekend, which was an absolute doozy weatherwise. Well done to all the volunteers who worked around the clock to pull these together. I am really looking forward to 2026 with all the shows, and I encourage all members to come out and have a look at what we have to offer in the regions.