The Morrison Government is backing in first home owners to enter the property market sooner, with up to an extra 4651 buyers set to benefit under the Government’s Home Guarantee Scheme this year.

The scheme helps first home buyers and single-parent families get into their own homes sooner with a deposit of as little as five per cent or two per cent respectively. The Government’s Home Guarantee Scheme would reissue up to 4651 unused guarantees for first home buyers from 2020-21 who haven’t had an opportunity to purchase their first home, including because of COVID disruptions.

With our support first home buyers are at their highest level in nearly 15 years. Coupled with HomeBuilder and the First Home Super Saver Scheme, more than 300,000 Australians have been helped into homeownership, including almost 60,000 Australians through the Home Guarantee Scheme.

LOWERING THE COST OF CHILDCARE
The Government is helping thousands of Australian families access more affordable childcare by removing the cap on the Child Care Subsidy. From last week, the $10,655 cap will no longer apply, making it easier for parents from more than 18,000 families to return to work or pick up more hours.

This change will particularly support women, who represent the majority of primary carers, by reducing childcare costs and giving parents more flexibility if they choose to return to work or want to work more hours. As well as removing the cap, around 250,000 Australian families with two or more children aged under six will also benefit from an increased Child Care Subsidy from 7 March 2022.

These combined policy changes mean that a family earning $110,000 a year with two kids in care, four days a week will be better off by around $100 each week.

BACKING OUR MEN’S SHEDS
More than 166 Men's Sheds across Australia will receive a share of $500,000 in grants to purchase lifesaving defibrillators, IT equipment and provide training for their members.

There are more than 1000 Men’s Sheds across the nation, and they play a vital role in preventing social isolation and mental ill-health. Men’s Sheds offer thousands of men of all ages a safe and friendly environment where they can work on meaningful projects and build social connections.
Since 2013, the Coalition Government has provided more than $6.4 million to support Men’s Sheds through the programme.