Labor have unveiled their ‘GameChanger’ home ownership policy ahead of the state election, aimed at assisting more first-home buyers in entering the market.
The program would enable first-home buyers to purchase a house with no deposit and targets couples earning up to $200,000 or singles earning up to $150,000 a year.
Existing properties worth up to $600,000 will become eligible for the scheme, while an $800,000 cap will apply to newly constructed homes.
Leader Rebecca White said her “GameChanger” plan would represent the “most significant policy” ever implemented in Tasmania to assist first home buyers.
“GameChanger is based on the simple idea that if you can afford to pay the rent, you can afford to pay a mortgage,” she said
“Labor will make sure you have a shot at home ownership and we’ll make sure that having to pay rent each week doesn’t stop you from being able to afford to buy a place of your own.”
“We’ll put up the deposit you need and you can pay us back when you sell the house or when you’ve saved enough to buy us out.”
White accused the Liberals of shutting the door on first home buyers in recent years, while the Liberals claimed Labor had stolen their existing 2022 ‘MyHome’ policy.
“All Ms White has done is take our existing policy, put a lick of paint on it and shamelessly tried to pretend it’s something brand new,” Liberal Housing spokesman Nic Street said.
“Ms White has said she’ll tweak our existing MyHome policy from a 2% deposit, to a 0% deposit. The practical difference between a 2% deposit and a 0% deposit on homes up to $600,000, is up to $12,000.”
“Far from being a ‘game changer’, Ms White’s policy is a renovator’s delight.”
