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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-02-22 Daily Xml
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HomeBuilder Program

Mr COWDREY (Colton) (14:31): My question is again for the Treasurer. Has the Treasurer written to the federal Treasurer to request an extension to the HomeBuilder scheme and, if not, why not? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr COWDREY: It has now been two weeks since the Treasurer informed the house that he had not written to the federal Treasurer to request an extension to HomeBuilder. Twelve hundred South Australians, including first-home buyers, could lose their HomeBuilder grants of up to $25,000 through no fault of their own.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Treasurer) (14:31): Perhaps I can provide some further context around the HomeBuilder scheme to the parliament, because some people opposite have sought to portray this as a matter of having a level of discretion and an unwillingness to exercise that discretion, either by me or by the federal Treasurer.

Mr Cowdrey: The guidelines have been changed.

The SPEAKER: The member for Colton is called to order. The Treasurer has the call.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: The reality is that despite the circumstances that some people may find themselves in where they may not be eligible for the grant—and I completely understand and agree that for those people that is absolutely regrettable—this is not a scheme which is currently open, currently in operation and subject to change. In fact, the last time—

Mr Tarzia: Make that change then.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: The member for Hartley says that we can—

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer will not respond to interjections.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: —and that I should make that change. I said that I would provide some further context to the house and so allow me to, Mr Speaker. This was the subject of a national partnership, I am advised, which was signed between the commonwealth and the states and territories. It set out how the HomeBuilder grant was to be provided to Australians across the country equally in all respects except one, that is, there was a higher value threshold for some of the Eastern States' jurisdictions, reflecting the different characteristics of their housing market.

The scheme has been closed since 14 April 2021. For nearly two years the scheme has been closed, and the only substantive change which was made was when there was a decision by the previous Coalition government—my recollection is in very late 2020—to extend the scheme for a further three months or so at a lower value threshold—

Mr Cowdrey interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Colton!

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: —to $15,000. Of course, since that time, for nearly two years, the scheme has remained closed. There are many thousands of Australians—

Mr Cowdrey: No-one is asking you to open it.

The SPEAKER: The member for Colton is called to order. The Treasurer has the call.

Mr Cowdrey: No-one is asking you to open it.

The SPEAKER: Member for Colton, you are warned.

Mr Brown interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Florey is on two warnings.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: There are many, many thousands of Australians who have sought to access the HomeBuilder grant from the day it was announced right up until very recent times. They have missed out on accessing the HomeBuilder grant for a range of reasons, which are related to not being able to satisfy the criteria that are set out in and subject to the national partnership agreement that was signed between the commonwealth government and the state government under the previous Coalition government and the previous Liberal government well before the scheme closed, being more than two years ago. For the suggestion to come forward now that there should be changes made to the benefit of a small number of people post the closure of the scheme, in my view—

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner: 1,200 people.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: It's not 1,200 people. It's not 1,200 people, okay? I realise that there are people who are impacted—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Hartley is on three warnings.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: —but there is no substance to the assertion that the member for Morialta makes that 1,200 people are missing out on the grant, and I know how fervently he seeks to uphold the standing orders when it comes to accurate information being provided to the house.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: I am happy to continue my remarks if the member for Colton has a supplementary or a subsequent question on the matter.

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