First homebuyers in the Fairfield local government area could save up to $20k under ‘boldest initiative in 20 years’

Young families could get tens of thousands of dollars in rebates for buying a first home – but only in one area of Sydney. Find out how the scheme would work.

Young families could save tens of thousands of dollars if they buy their first home in Fairfield, under a bold plan from local Mayor Frank Carbone to tackle the housing crisis.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that Fairfield City Council will move to give new homebuyers rebates of up to $20,000 if they purchase a newly built property in the local government area.

The plan goes one further on Mr Carbone’s pledge, at the Telegraph’s Future Western Sydney event this month, to drop council taxes for first homebuyers if state and federal governments do the same.

Under Mr Carbone’s new policy, which was supported by Fairfield councillors last night, first homebuyers would get rebates to the value of “infrastructure contributions” raised by council on new builds.

These “Section 7.11” contributions, charged to developers, can be worth up to $20,000 per dwelling built in Fairfield.

First homebuyers could get rebates of up to $20,000 for buying new houses – but only in Fairfield. Picture: NCA NewsWire

To be eligible, buyers would need to prove they are eligible first-homeowners. This could be done by showing the council evidence that they have benefited from the state government’s First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme.

While council would still charge developers levies on new builds, this would be refunded to buyers after a sale.

Mr Carbone said the move was designed to “show leadership” in tackling the housing crisis.

“Right now, there’s just too many taxes on new homes,” Mr Carbone told the Telegraph.

Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone said the plan is about showing “leadership”. Picture: Richard Dobson

“We don’t want governments to profit on the misery of our young Australians,” he said.

He reiterated his call for the Albanese government to scrap GST on purchases of new homes.

“It’s the federal government that’s profiteering from migration, and it’s the federal government that’s causing the home crisis for young Australians,” Mr Carbone said.

“So they should be putting the extra money they collect for GST, income tax and extra levies by giving first homebuyers a chance to buy their first home.”

Mr Carbone said the rebates would help tackle the housing crisis for first homeowners. Picture: David Swift

He also called for the state government to scrap a recently-introduced tax of up to $12,000 paid by developers when building new homes.

“We are confident we can deliver this, but we can’t do it alone,” Mr Carbone said.

The Property Council of Australia’s regional director for Western Sydney, Ross Grove, praised Mr Carbone’s proposal as “the boldest initiative to support first home buyers from any local council in more than 20 years”.

“The way to deliver housing supply is to drive costs down – that’s what we’re seeing in Fairfield and Liverpool and we encourage other authorities to consider doing the same,” he said.

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