The Liberals have made an election promise to raise the first home owner grant to $30,000. “This means lower upfront costs, greater financial certainty, and a stronger incentive to build,” said Premier Jeremy Rockliff.
Independent candidate for Clark, John Macgowan, labelled the party “economic illiterates” over the move. “The last decade has taught governments around the country that grants and subsidies for first home owners only succeed at artificially inflating house prices and fattening the balance sheets of creditors,” he said.
Their statements are reproduced below.
Media release – Jeremy Rockliff, Premier, 24 June 2025
First Home Owner grants to back our first home builders
A re-elected Liberal Government will boost the First Home Owners Grant for Tasmanians building their first home, making it easier for young Tasmanians and families to get a foot up on the property ladder.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the best way to ease housing pressure is to drive new construction across the state – and help more Tasmanians achieve the dream of owning their first home.
“Eligible first home buyers who contract to build their first home will now receive a $30,000 grant – three times more than the current grant amount,” Premier Rockliff said.
“This means lower upfront costs, greater financial certainty, and a stronger incentive to build.
“By stimulating new construction across the state, we’re backing in jobs, addressing supply and getting roofs over the heads of Tasmanians.
“By supporting families in home ownership, we help them achieve stability and security, allowing them to put down roots in their community.
“Our nation-leading MyHome shared equity program is already helping Tasmanians with as little as a 2 per cent deposit into their first home, with more than 721 home loans helping over 1,930 Tasmanians into home ownership.
“Under a re-elected Liberal Government, we will increase the value cap for new home construction under MyHome to $800,000, encouraging even more Tasmanians to build under this highly successful program.
“Importantly, if you are eligible for the First Home Owners Grant, this may be used to help satisfy the deposit of the MyHome program.
“Together with MyHome, this means a young Tasmanian family, who are currently renting, could build their first home with as little as a 2 per cent deposit fully covered by the First Home Owner Grant, and making monthly mortgage repayments comparable to or even less than what they were paying in rent.”
Property Council of Australia’s Tasmanian Executive Director Rebecca Ellston said this is the shot in the arm that industry needs, to build us out of this slump.
“Raising the Grant to $30,000 for the building of new homes will deliver a much needed boost to the construction industry,” she said.
“It will also give Tasmania a competitive advantage over other states that have their first home builder grants between $10,000 to $20,000 levels.
“This announcement allows young Tasmanians to enter the housing market, creates more employment in the industry, encourages young people to come home to live and create significant spending in local economies.”
The Liberal Government has already stamped out stamp duty for eligible first home buyers purchasing existing homes, and halved stamp duty for off-the-plan apartments, making it cheaper to buy new homes and driving investment in new housing supply.
“Our Liberal Government is backing Tasmanians who want to build and buy a home, while continuing to drive the delivery of more homes, faster, for the people who need them,” The Premier said.
Media release – John Macgowan, independent candidate for Clark, 24 June 2025
LIBERAL HOUSING GRANTS ARE ECONOMIC TERRORISM BY ECONOMIC ILLITERATES
The Tasmanian Liberal’s housing grant announcement today is nothing short of economic terrorism, as well as being stupid, lazy and the work of economic illiterates who should not be allowed near the balance sheet of a tuck shop let alone a regional economy worth $40.46 billion, independent candidate for Clark John Macgowan said today.
“Tasmania has problems – but unlike mainland states, it isn’t drowning under runaway population growth due to the Commonwealth’s failure to control immigration. Tasmania’s population growth is flat – and Tasmanian wages are exceeding the national wage price index average. This should mean housing affordability can be tackled with very simple supply side measures like better and modernised planning controls, land releases and reigning in councils that habitually block development.
“Instead, the Tasmanian Liberal Government has chosen to cut and paste a Queensland LNP policy announced two weeks ago that will irresponsibly allow first home owners to borrow up to $1 million with a deposit of just $20,000.
“It’s odd that a Government that’s cracked down on gambling would be so enthusiastic about young Tasmanians having such a big punt on interest rates never going up and the housing market never going down.
“The last decade has taught Governments around the country that grants and subsidies for first home owners only succeed at artificially inflating house prices and fattening the balance sheets of creditors.
“In all markets there is only supply and demand. There is no secret third thing like helping people access cheap credit who can’t afford it and then hoping everything turns out ok. At least not in any economic textbook I’ve ever read.”
Macgowan is proposing three sensible policies to address housing affordability:
1. A full review and re-write of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993, a decrepit planning instrument that the 2021 Planning Scheme reforms goes nowhere near far enough to fixing.
2. The establishment of an Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel system for projects over $10 million, to get the most important supply side housing measures approved by experts instead of Tasmania’s, frankly insane, local government representatives.
3. The development of a Medium Density Housing Code that allows home owners and investors the option of unlocking additional value from their investments and growing our home renovation and construction sector.
“More grants and subsidies in a hot market is pure economic sabotage. It’s irresponsible, and it demonstrates deep economic illiteracy. Tasmania deserves a government that at least understands how an economy works, and doesn’t indulge in lazy announcements for the sake of making an announcement,” John Macgowan said.
Media release – Shane Broad, Shadow Minister for Housing, 24 June 2025
Shocking data reveals extent of Liberals’ housing neglect
Shocking data has revealed exactly why it’s time for a Fresh Start for housing after 11 years of the Liberals.
RTI documents from Homes Tasmania (below) show that as 31 December 2024:
- At least one family with children in the north-west has waited for over 9 years as a priority applicant on the housing register
- At least five families across the state have waited for between 7-8 years as priority applicants on the housing register
- Seven families across the state with children have waited for between 6-7 years as priority applicants on the housing register
- At least two applicants without children have waited for between 10-11 years as priority applicants on the housing register.
- 138 priority applicants waiting for five years or longer
- 20 people died in the last 24 months while waiting as priority applicants
It is absolutely disgusting that a Tasmanian family with children has been waiting for over nine years as priority applicants for housing.
These kind of wait times are indefensible, but the housing horror stories under Liberals don’t stop there, with more than 20 families spending over five years on the waitlist.
After 11 years of the Liberals, wait times have become so long that 20 Tasmanians died while waiting for housing in only two years.
The Liberals will continue to spread the falsehood that they are meeting their social housing targets, but when Minister Felix Ellis is counting vacant blocks of land and hotel rooms for locum doctors as completed homes they can’t be taken seriously.
After 11 years of the Liberals, housing in Tasmania needs a fresh start. Not more of the same from the Liberals who spend all their time manipulating figures to make it seem like they are doing something.
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