Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
6PR Perth Live with Oliver Peterson
12 November 2024
TOPICS: Housing, superannuation
E&OE
Ollie Peterson
A story in ‘The Australian’ newspaper indicates the Labor Government has poured down tens of millions of dollars into marginal battleground and safe Labor seats, including $3 million for the Prime Minister’s local council to fund more planning studies, review of bureaucrats. But analysis of the one and a half billion dollar housing support program shows that significant funding has been funnelled to councils and State Governments pitching proposals to improve planning efficiencies. But has it actually started to deliver any more homes? Have any more houses been constructed as the Federal Government is falling well short of its housing target? So everything is on the table, including accessing your superannuation, something that the Liberal Party is considering – letting first home buyers use their super to offset the interest on their mortgages and boosting how much money could be withdrawn for home deposits as this fight continues over housing policy. Michaelia Cash is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, and she joins me live on 6PR, this afternoon. Senator Cash, welcome to the program.
Senator Cash
Good afternoon, Ollie, and good afternoon to your listeners.
Ollie Peterson
Starting with the Liberal policy first, are you trying to just blow up superannuation Senator?
Senator Cash
Absolutely not. But the reality for Australians is this – under Labor, the great Australian aspiration of home ownership, it has become out of reach, Ollie, for so many. I talk to people, it’s wonderful that there are some parents who have the financial means and they can help their kids into a home. But as Peter Dutton has said time and time again, we can’t ever accept a situation where the only people who can afford to buy a home are people with rich parents. And that is why, under Peter Dutton, what you will see is we will restore that great Australian dream of home ownership, which so many Australians now say has never felt further out of reach.
Ollie Peterson
If you’re able to access your super though to buy your first home, is that going to just push up house prices?
Senator Cash
Well, we’re working on policies to take to the next election. But as you know, we’ve already recommitted to allowing Australians to access up to $50,000 of their super to buy their first home. I mean, as we’ve said, their money their super, and what that does is it gets them into the housing market. You can initially withdraw it from the super, but it will need to be returned when the house is sold to support retirement. But Ollie the reality for Australians is this, we need to get our country back on track. We need to restore the Australian dream of home ownership, and that’s why we’ve recently announced our $5 billion commitment to get projects moving. We want one lock up to half a million homes. We want to deliver them more quickly, and we will do that. Compare that to what you were saying in your opening. What’s Labor funding – planning proposals, background studies, feasibility studies. Seriously, this isn’t infrastructure. This isn’t what we need to fund. We need to invest in shovel ready infrastructure, the lack of which is actually hindering the development of new housing. We will do this. Let’s get these projects moving, and let’s get Australians back into their own time.
Ollie Peterson
I see as well, some of your colleagues are pushing to give single women early access to their superannuation. Would you support that, Senator Cash?
Senator Cash
Yeah, we’ve actually extended our policy, the policy we’ve already recommitted to, so that is allowing Australians to access up to $50,000 of their super, your super, your money, or your money, your super, to buy their first time. And as we’ve acknowledged, we’ve extended this policy to separated women to help restart their lives. Why? Because you get a woman, a separated woman, and it’s often their kids, into a home, you are giving them a future. Again, this is all about that great Australian aspiration of home ownership – giving it back to Australians because under Labor, let’s face it, as Australians say, it never felt further out of reach.
Ollie Peterson
So ‘your money, your super’ logic – if it’s just for first home buyers, though, should it be open to anyone to be able to do whatever they want with their super when they want to dip into it, Senator?
Senator Cash
No, because ultimately, your Superannuation is there for your retirement, and that’s why our policy, you initially withdraw it from super but you do need to return it when the house is sold to support retirement. But what is the one asset, or should I say, the asset we need Australians to have in retirement, and that is, of course, their house, the roof over their head, that stability of home ownership. And that’s why, when it comes to a home, we’re allowing them to dip into their super. But as I said, you initially withdraw it because you need to get that deposit, but it will need to be returned when the house is sold to support retirement. But again, it’s all about that great Australian dream of home ownership, which I you know, I go out every day, Ollie, what do Australians tell me under this government, the Albanese government, it has never felt further out of their reach. And I just want to see it returned to them.
Ollie Peterson
And you believe you can do that if the Liberal Party and the National Party were to form government next year. You believe you’ll be able to deliver houses and give Australians opportunities faster than the Albanese government can do it?
Senator Cash
Absolutely. Because the policies that we’ve announced will ease demand. How will we do that? We will reduce permanent migration by 25%. Half the problem with this government is the number of people they have brought into this country is outpacing the number of houses that are being built. We’ll also ban foreign investors and temporary residents from buying existing houses for two years. We’re putting the cap on foreign students. We’re unlocking the 500,000 new homes through our $5 billion program. How are we doing that? Getting that essential infrastructure moving. So again, Labor have created the mess that Australians now find themselves in. We are going to ensure we put in place those practical policies, which just means Australia, that Great Australian Dream of home ownership, it will again be within your grasp.
Ollie Peterson
Do you reckon that Lidia Thorpe should resign? And confirmation now she didn’t actually take the oath. I mean, is there a technicality here Senator Cash, where she might actually have to walk away from politics?
Senator Cash
Well, no. So Lidia Thorpe herself, under the Constitution, she was validly elected to the Senate. The question that arises is whether or not she has properly made or affirmed the oath before taking her seat. So she is validly elected as a Senator. And certainly questions arise, and we do need to look at them. But Ollie what your listeners won’t know is that it is the President of the Australian Senate who actually signed that she believes that particular Senator has indeed properly taken the oath. So the question now does arise for Sue Lines, as the President of the Senate – she’s a Labor Senator for Western Australia – Senator Lines does need to confirm, in her capacity as our President whether she herself continues to be satisfied that Senator Thorpe has validly affirmed her allegiance. And certainly, our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, he could ask Senator Lines, to confirm whether or not Senator Lines, as President of the Senate herself continues to be satisfied. But I’m actually glad this has happened. And you know why? It’s about time people actually saw what happens when you vote Green. Because remember, Lidia Thorpe’s seat in Parliament is a result of Australians voting for the Greens. and it is a huge reminder if you risk voting for the Greens or other extremist parties guess what? You get people like Lidia Thorpe making decisions. Because she votes with Labor almost every time, making decisions that affect you as an Australian, or in this case, as a Western Australia. And most people don’t know there are another 11 Green colleagues in the Australian Senate. And what I would say to Australians is welcome to the Australian Senate. Because guess what? This is behaviour that we see each and every day, day in and day out. And Australians need to consider carefully the type of Senate that they want and who they want, making decisions that affect their lives. Again, Lidia Thorpe’s seat in the Parliament is a result of Australians voting for the Australian Greens, and there’s another 11 of them sitting in that Senate, making decisions every single day, voting with the Australian Labor Party, and those decisions directly affect the Australian people.
Ollie Peterson
Senator Cash, thanks for your time.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you.
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