Cut immigration to help housing: Libs

Peter Dutton’s new assistant home ownership spokesman Andrew Bragg has called for the opposition to curtail immigration in a bid to alleviate the housing crisis

Peter Dutton’s new assistant home ownership spokesman Andrew Bragg has called for the opposition to curtail immigration in a bid to alleviate the housing crisis.

Peter Dutton’s new assistant home ownership spokesman Andrew Bragg has called for the opposition to curtail immigration in a bid to alleviate the housing crisis, as he pushes for Australians to be able to use their super to get into the housing market.

Senator Bragg urged the Coalition to consider lowering migration levels amid concern record numbers of foreigners coming into Australia were placing undue pressure on the housing market, although he acknowledged it would not solve the problem alone.

The calls come after the Opposition Leader announced a mini reshuffle to his shadow ministry, adding new portfolios ahead of the next election, including Senator Hughes for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Liberal MP James Stevens for economic waste reduction and Liberal MP Phil Thompson for the defence industry.

When asked about whether the Liberal Party should cap or curtail immigration, Senator Bragg said: “I think so, I think it will help. I don’t think it will solve the housing crisis tomorrow … but immigration has had an impact on housing and needs to be looked at”.

The party’s immigration spokesman Dan Tehan has repeatedly attacked Labor over its “big Australia” but is yet to reveal what levels of migration the Coalition would pursue if the opposition forms government at the next election.

The NSW Senator, who is currently chairing a Senate Economics Committee looking at how superannuation can help drive home ownership, said more Australians should be able to tap into their nest egg to help buy a home.

He pushed for the Coalition to expand its Super Home Buyer scheme which is designed to help young Australians compile a deposit for their first home by drawing down up to $50,000 of their superannuation.

“In the absence of the bank of Mum and Dad super is the biggest pool of money an individual or a couple might have and we want all Australians to have access to the Australian dream,” Senator Bragg told The Australian.

“We don’t want it to be subject to the membership of a wealthy family.”

Senator Bragg has also called for older Australians to use their super to pay off their mortgage, saying “if we can accelerate home ownership offsets then we should look at that.”

“A lot of people are using their super to pay off their mortgage so the question is why are we forcing all this money to be paid to banks in interest if we can accelerate home ownership for people then that is what we should do,” Senator Bragg said.

Housing is expected to be a major feature of Mr Dutton’s pitch for the prime ministership, with Coalition MPs expecting planning reforms and unlocking superannuation for deposits to be in a package unveiled before the election.

With the party expected to announce its housing policy soon, senior Coalition sources have criticised how late the party’s centrepiece housing policy was announced in the lead up to the last election.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison announced the party’s Super Home Buyer scheme at its campaign launch in Brisbane — just six days out from when voters went to the polls — outlining a plan to allow first home buyers to tap into their nest egg to purchase a property.