Balancing Politics and Property
In this episode of Property Now, the team sits down with Senator Andrew Bragg, Shadow Minister for Home Ownership, to talk about the policies shaping Australia's property landscape.
- The podcast maintains a neutral stance, with plans to host politicians from multiple parties
- Bragg lays out his core mission: restoring the Australian dream of home ownership
The Australian Dream: Out of Reach for Gen Z and Millennials?
According to Bragg, young Australians are being left behind.
- First home buyer age is now around 36—up from 24–28 in the 1990s
- The Liberal plan aims to bring that number down by reforming super and lending laws
Three Key Policies to Help First Home Buyers
Bragg outlines his three-pillar approach:
- Supply: Build more homes by funding roads, sewage, and infrastructure via a $5B fund
- Access: Reform lending laws to give first home buyers cheaper mortgages
- Super: Let buyers access up to $50,000 from superannuation to purchase property
Tackling Supply: Infrastructure, Planning, and Migration
Bragg criticises current housing supply constraints and offers several proposals:
- Freeze changes to the National Construction Code for 10 years to reduce building costs
- Address labour shortages by shifting migration policy toward trades and construction
- Impose a 2-year ban on foreign nationals buying existing property
Challenging Nimbyism and Cutting Red Tape
One major barrier? Local resistance to new developments.
- The Liberal plan proposes using federal funds to push states and councils to act
- Bragg calls NIMBY resistance “corrosive” and a threat to intergenerational fairness
The Case for Unlocking Superannuation
Is it reckless to dip into super early? Bragg doesn’t think so.
- “The test of success in retirement is housing, not your super balance.”
- Critics argue it may inflate prices, but Bragg claims less than 1% price impact
Migration, Trades, and Getting the Right People In
Senator Bragg proposes cutting migration by 100,000 annually and reprioritising skills:
- Reduce students and temporary visa holders
- Focus on skilled construction workers and apprenticeships
Lending Reform: Giving First Home Buyers an Edge
- Lower serviceability buffer from 3% to 2%
- Improve access to LMI-backed mortgages for non-guaranteed borrowers
Beyond Property: Fuel and Energy Reform
To reduce cost-of-living pressures:
- Cut fuel excise by 25 cents per litre
- Push for increased gas supply and introduce nuclear energy into the mix
Red Tape and Developer Bottlenecks
Bragg calls out bureaucratic delays:
- DA approvals can take 5 years or more
- Federal support would be conditional on states reducing red tape and improving timelines
A Final Word on Intergenerational Fairness
According to Bragg, every delayed development hurts the next generation:
- Millennials and Gen Z are priced out and politically underrepresented
- Older generations’ resistance to density could drive young Australians out of major cities
256-Character Meta Description:
Senator Andrew Bragg joins the Property Now podcast to talk housing supply, super reform, and how his party plans to bring the Australian dream of home ownership back to millennials and Gen Z.
