‘Just the beginning’: 50,000 Aussies helped into home ownership

The milestone comes as eligibility criteria for multiple Home Guarantee schemes is set to be expanded “significantly”.

The Albanese government has slammed Liberals and Greens for “grandstanding” during the housing crisis, having now assisted more than 50,000 Australians into home ownership.

Housing Minister Julie Collins said “this is just the beginning”.

“We’ve got construction underway on affordable rental homes across the country, and concrete plans on building tens of thousands more,” she said on Saturday.

“But most importantly, we’re helping those who need it most.

“We’re delivering the largest increase in rent assistance in more than 30 years, as well as a $1.6bn one-year extension of the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement with States and Territories.”

Ms Collins said the milestone is only ‘the beginning’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

More than 6000 Australians have been assisted into home ownership through the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee, set up in October.

Couples constitute the largest category of new homeowners in the 12 months since the election, followed by single women.

It is also expected that the eligibility criteria of the Home Guarantee Scheme, including the First Home Guarantee, Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee and the Family Home Guarantee, will be “significantly expanded” from July 1.

The government said more than 50,000 people have now been helped into home ownership in the 12 months since the election. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

“We have a long-term vision for changing the architecture of housing in Australia,” Ms Collins said.

“We have the legislation.

“We just need the Liberals and the Greens to stop grandstanding, and start helping Australians in housing stress instead.”

Demand for homelessness charities jumped by 26 per cent from January 2020 to December 2022, according to a report by Mission Australia.

Four in 10 people who sought help from such organisations were employed yet unable to meet climbing rental prices, while only a third of those experiencing homelessness were in long-term housing.

Four in 10 people who sought help from homelessness charities were employed but unable to meet skyrocketing rental prices. Picture: NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

Rental vacancies reached their lowest levels in years. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

The report also found the amount of people sleeping rough, living in tents and improvised homes, had more than doubled in the past three years.

This year rental vacancies also reached their lowest levels in five years, driving up rental prices amid an ongoing cost of living crisis.

New rental listings across the country fell by 18.9 per cent in April with Sydney, Melbourne and Perth facing the toughest conditions nationwide.