Hospitality, childcare and disability workers top the list of workers who could buy a home under Labor
Exclusive new Treasury analysis of Labor’s signature housing policy has revealed exactly which professions will benefit in buying their first home. Does your job make the cut? See the full details.
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Exclusive: Almost 70 per cent of all Australians would be able to buy a first home using one of Labor’s signature policies, new modelling has revealed, as the government hits back at spate of attacks from the Greens over its housing scheme.
New federal Treasury analysis of Australian income data has revealed that 99 per cent of hospitality workers, 97 per cent of cleaners and laundry workers and 96 per cent of carers and aid workers would qualify for a new home under Labor’s Help to Buy Scheme.
The scheme — which has been held hostage in the Senate for months by the Greens — allows Australians without the bank of mum and dad to get support from the government to buy their first home.
It applies to individuals earning an annual income of up to $90,000 a year or a combined income of $120,000 a year for couples.
The analysis, obtained exclusively by The Sunday Telegraph, showed that 92 per cent of early childhood educators, 93 per cent of aged and disability carers and 61 per cent of midwives can buy a home as a single person under the $90,000 threshold limit.
Housing Minister Clare O’Neil is using the figures to blow apart the Greens’ argument that the government’s policy will fail to help key workers.
“Childcare workers, carers, nurses and cleaners are exactly the people who are struggling to buy their own place at the moment and that’s exactly who the Government is helping with this scheme,” she said.
“This policy is going to make real progress for real people who want to buy their own place. The Greens should get on board or get out of the way.”
The findings come after the two parties once again failed to reach a compromise on the bill with Greens housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather ramping up attacks in the last week.
Mr Chandler-Mather pointed to parliamentary library analysis that showed paramedics earning $127,600, registered nurses earning $112,900, or primary school teachers earning $105,000 would surpass the income threshold.
They also claimed the professions who could afford a home would be in mortgage stress when buying a house in a major city.
Under the Home Guarantee Scheme 2023-2024, the median purchase price for Australians was about $482,000 for single purchasers and $624,000 for joint purchases.
But Ms O’Neil hit back that these were “shonky” statistics that did not acknowledge the scheme could help first home buyers get a foot in the door, like buying an apartment or a house further out.
“For the Greens it’s all about shonky stats and political point scoring. We want to make real progress for the thousands of real people who need a hand getting into their own home.”
The treasury analysis found that 53 per cent of primary school teachers would be eligible under the $90,000 threshold and 56 per cent of registered nurses.
Out of the states, Tasmania and South Australia came out on top with 75 per cent of their workers eligible under the scheme, followed by Victoria at 70 per cent, Queensland at 69 per cent, NSW at 68 per cent and Western Australia at 64 per cent.
More than 60 per cent of Northern Territory workers and 56 per cent of Canberrans would also be eligible.
The Greens are demanding Labor implement rent caps and reform negative gearing benefits in exchange for their support in the senate.
The minor party previously applied the same tactics on Labor’s Housing Australia Future Fund before securing additional funding for social housing in exchange for support.
Originally published as Hospitality, childcare and disability workers top the list of workers who could buy a home under Labor
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