This bill did not become law and is no longer proceeding.
Budget, tax & economy
Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan. would let eligible low and middle income Australians buy a new or existing home with the CommonwealthThe federal Australian Government, which would put money into the scheme and own an equity share in participating homes. taking an equity share, and Housing AustraliaThe government body that would administer Help to Buy, run the arrangements and handle the Commonwealth's equity contribution. would run the deals in participating states and the territories.
Low and middle income Australians were left needing deposits and mortgages large enough to block them from buying a home. This bill sets up Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan., letting the CommonwealthThe federal Australian Government, which would put money into the scheme and own an equity share in participating homes. take an equity share in eligible homes so buyers need less upfront and borrow less.
In the October 2022 Budget, the Albanese government responded to housing affordability barriers for low and middle income earners by announcing Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan., a shared-equity scheme in which the CommonwealthThe federal Australian Government, which would put money into the scheme and own an equity share in participating homes. would take a stake in a home so buyers could get in with a smaller deposit and mortgage. The legislation to set up the scheme was introduced in October 2024 and debated in the House, but it lapsed when Parliament was dissolved on 28 March 2025, leaving the program unfinished at that point.
The main criticism is that Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan. is too small and demand-side focused to fix housing affordability, and may even push prices up while locking buyers into a risky shared-equity arrangement with the government. That case was pressed mainly by Coalition speakers and independents such as Dai Le, while Rebekha Sharkie still backed the bill but said it did not tackle the deeper supply and cost pressures behind the housing crisis.
Hon Clare O'Neil MPMember of Parliament, the title used for elected federal representatives such as Clare O'Neil MP in the explanatory material. introduced this bill. Speeches supporting it came from Labor, some crossbench members.
Did it become law?
No
The bill did not complete passage through Parliament.
Final passage
Did not pass
1 recorded vote before the bill stopped proceeding
Time before failure
171 days
From introduction to the final recorded step before the bill stopped proceeding
Meaning
Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan. would let eligible low and middle income Australians buy a new or existing home with the CommonwealthThe federal Australian Government, which would put money into the scheme and own an equity share in participating homes. taking an equity share, and Housing AustraliaThe government body that would administer Help to Buy, run the arrangements and handle the Commonwealth's equity contribution. would run the deals in participating states and the territories.
Eligible buyers would get a CommonwealthThe federal Australian Government, which would put money into the scheme and own an equity share in participating homes. contribution of up to 30 per cent for an existing home or up to 40 per cent for a new home, cutting the deposit and mortgage they need.
The Housing Minister would set the operating rules for Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan. through formal directions to Housing AustraliaThe government body that would administer Help to Buy, run the arrangements and handle the Commonwealth's equity contribution., covering things like decision rules, limits, complaints, reporting and how much can be contributed.
CommonwealthThe federal Australian Government, which would put money into the scheme and own an equity share in participating homes. funding for each equity share would be paid to Housing AustraliaThe government body that would administer Help to Buy, run the arrangements and handle the Commonwealth's equity contribution. from the Consolidated Revenue FundThe federal government's main money pool, from which Help to Buy funding would be paid to Housing Australia., and Housing AustraliaThe government body that would administer Help to Buy, run the arrangements and handle the Commonwealth's equity contribution. could only use that money for Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan. contributions.
If a state later leaves the program, no new buyers from that state could join, but existing contracts could keep running to the extent an arrangement was already in place.
The Bill establishes Help to Buy, a shared equity program that will assist low to middle income earners to purchase new or existing homes by accessing an equity contribution from the Commonwealth. These shared equity arrangements will be administered and monitored by Housing Australia (formerly known as the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation) in States that have referred power for the program or adopted the Commonwealth legislation, and in the Territories.Help to Buy explanatory memorandum
Help to Buy will reduce the upfront deposit hurdle and ongoing mortgage repayments associated with purchasing a home. Under the program, Housing Australia will provide eligible participants a Commonwealth equity contribution of up to 30 per cent of the purchase price of an existing home and up to 40 per cent for a new home.Help to Buy explanatory memorandum
The Minister may give the Housing Australia Board, as defined in section 5 of the Housing Australia Act, directions about the performance of Housing Australia’s Help to Buy functions for participating and cooperating States by legislative instrument. The directions together constitute the Program Directions. The Program Directions are the key vehicle for the Government to set out its expectations for Housing Australia’s implementation and administration of Help to Buy and, as such, the Minister must give at least one such direction.[Sections 5 and 24 of the Bill]Help to Buy explanatory memorandum
The Bill provides that the Commonwealth must pay Housing Australia necessary amounts to enable Housing Australia to make the equity contributions on behalf of the Commonwealth under the Help to Buy arrangements. This is the only purpose for which Housing Australia may use these funds. [Subsections 27(1) to (3) of the Bill]Help to Buy explanatory memorandum
If a State has stopped being a participating State and is also not a cooperating State, because it has either stopped being one or because it never became a cooperating State, it is classed as a withdrawn State. A withdrawn State ceases to apply the Help to Buy legislation. No new participants from that State can join the program and existing participants are only able to continue in the program to the extent an existing contractual arrangement is in place at the time the State becomes a withdrawn State. Program changes that are made by the Commonwealth once the State becomes a withdrawn State do not apply to program participants from that State. [Sections 5 and 37 of the Bill]Help to Buy explanatory memorandum
Context
In the October 2022 Budget, the Albanese government responded to housing affordability barriers for low and middle income earners by announcing Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan., a shared-equity scheme in which the CommonwealthThe federal Australian Government, which would put money into the scheme and own an equity share in participating homes. would take a stake in a home so buyers could get in with a smaller deposit and mortgage. The legislation to set up the scheme was introduced in October 2024 and debated in the House, but it lapsed when Parliament was dissolved on 28 March 2025, leaving the program unfinished at that point.
October Budget announces Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan.
The government announced Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan. in the 2022-23 October Budget as part of its Safer and More Affordable Housing measure to help low and middle income Australians into home ownership.
Help to Buy explanatory memorandum ↗Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan. Bill is introduced in the House
The bill was presented and read a first time, formally beginning the push to create a CommonwealthThe federal Australian Government, which would put money into the scheme and own an equity share in participating homes. shared-equity program administered by Housing AustraliaThe government body that would administer Help to Buy, run the arrangements and handle the Commonwealth's equity contribution..
Parliamentary timeline ↗House debate opens on the scheme
The second reading was moved, opening debate on a program designed to let eligible buyers purchase new or existing homes with a CommonwealthThe federal Australian Government, which would put money into the scheme and own an equity share in participating homes. equity contribution.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan. Bill lapses at dissolution
The bill lapsed when Parliament was dissolved, so the proposed national shared-equity scheme had not been enacted at that stage.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Key criticism
The main criticism is that Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan. is too small and demand-side focused to fix housing affordability, and may even push prices up while locking buyers into a risky shared-equity arrangement with the government. That case was pressed mainly by Coalition speakers and independents such as Dai Le, while Rebekha Sharkie still backed the bill but said it did not tackle the deeper supply and cost pressures behind the housing crisis.
Criticism centred more on effectiveness and scheme design than on rejecting help for first-home buyers outright.
Does not address housing supply
Critics said the bill tackles demand rather than supply, so it is unlikely to make a meaningful dent in the housing crisis or long-term affordability. They argued broader reforms to housing construction, regional development and cost pressures were needed instead of a narrow shared-equity program.
May push up prices while helping too few people
Opponents argued the scheme could add demand and put upward pressure on prices, especially for first-home buyers, while being too limited or niche to change the broader market. They said a capped program helping a relatively small number of buyers was not a serious system-wide response.
Shared-equity risks for buyers
Some critics said buyers could be worse off because the government would take a share of the home's value on sale, leaving participants with a more complicated and less secure form of ownership. They warned this could trap vulnerable buyers in a scheme that looks attractive upfront but carries longer-term trade-offs.
Too much left to scheme rules and limits
Opponents said the bill left important operational details unresolved and set restrictive caps that could make the scheme unfair or impractical. Concerns included unanswered questions about how the program would work in practice and whether its eligibility settings were too narrow to meet real need.
Further sources
Votes
Other recorded votes grouped by chamber. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.
House
Passed 84 to 52. Support came from Labor and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and minor parties and independents.
This was a procedural vote that allowed the bill to be introduced to the House on 8 October 2024. It did not decide the bill itself, but it was the necessary first step before debate could begin.
This list includes amendment votes, procedural votes and votes on the bill itself.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
O'Neil supports the bill and urges the parliament to pass Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan., saying it will help 40,000 low- and middle-income Australians into homeownership.
Read in Hansard ↗Roberts opposes the bill, saying it will not help the housing crisis and will instead push house prices up through more subsidy and government ownership.
Read in Hansard ↗Pocock supports the Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan. bill as a useful first step that will help people without wealthy parents get into homeownership, but he says it is only part of the solution and wants it strengthened with amendments and broader housing reform.
Read in Hansard ↗Farrell supports the Help to BuyThe shared-equity housing scheme the bill would create, where the Commonwealth helps with part of the purchase price so the buyer needs a smaller deposit and loan. bill, saying it delivers Labor's promise of a national shared equityA home-buying deal where the government pays part of the purchase price and later gets back a share of the home's value when the property is sold or the arrangement ends. scheme to help 40,000 low and middle income households into home ownership.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
3 speakers · 3 support
“I really call on others in the parliament to come forward and support this bill. There is no public policy reason to stand in the path of 40,000 people who need and deserve the government's help. We deal with a lot of legislation in this parliament. We face few opportunities that are as clear as this one to, in one move, be able to change the lives of 40,000 people around our country, and I urge the Liberals and the Greens to work with the government to take it.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The Labor Government committed to establishing a national shared equity scheme to help 40,000 low and middle income Australian households into home ownership.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I look forward to the committee stage because there are answers to all of those questions. The Labor government committed to establishing a national shared-equity scheme to help 40,000 low- and middle-income Australian households into homeownership. Today marks a significant step to delivering that promise. The Help to Buy scheme will be the first national shared-equity scheme of its kind. It will be delivered through Housing Australia, and it will help Australians to overcome the hurdles of saving for a deposit and servicing a mortgage.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
1 speaker · 1 oppose
“The Albanese government, though, wants to look like it's doing something—not do something but look like. Enter this Help to Buy plan. Under this plan, the government wants to own a significant part of your house. If it's an existing place, the government wants to own 30 per cent, and, if it's a new place, 40 per cent, with the government paying for part of it with low-income earners. While a 40 per cent subsidy might sound attractive, it's fatally flawed. If the government just borrows more money for this plan, then one thing is going to happen. When you give 40 per cent more money to people to buy a house, house prices are going to go up. House prices will go up. The bill's core concept and premise is flawed and possibly a lie. We can't subsidise our way out of a house price problem. Subsidies always increase prices and have throughout history. Looking at the bill's details, or lack of details, the problem is worse. I'll look at some of the criteria in a minute.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
1 speaker · 1 support
“So I'd urge the Senate to support these sorts of measures but then really get on with addressing some of the root causes, which, unfortunately, I think we're often not very good at, at times. I look forward to supporting the Help to Buy Bill as one part of helping people—people who can't rely on the bank of mum and dad to get them into the housing market.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
House · Lapsed at dissolution
Lapsed at dissolution
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
