Interview with Mark Levy on 2GB Mornings

SENATOR ANDREW BRAGG

Shadow Minister for Productivity and Deregulation

Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness

Liberal Senator for New South Wales

TRANSCRIPT

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INTERVIEW WITH MARK LEVY ON 2GB MORNINGS

 25 August 2025

 Subjects: Home Guarantee Scheme, National Construction Code, Labor’s higher taxes

E&OE………

Mark Levy

Andrew Bragg is the Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness. He's on the line. Senator, good morning to you.

Senator Bragg

Hi Mark, how are you going?

Mark Levy

Mate, very well. We're back into it for another sitting week in Canberra. This first home buyer scheme, bringing it forward to October rather than sticking to the original date of January 1, what are your thoughts?

Senator Bragg

Well, Mark, as you say, the main game is supply, and the government have presided over the biggest growth in our population since the '50s, with a massive collapse, at the same time, in housing construction. So that's why the housing squeeze is so bad, and this does nothing on the supply side. These are targeted demand side measures, or they're supposed to be, but this massive expansion of the scheme means that extremely wealthy people will be able to now use a government insurance scheme. I think we're now fundamentally in a position where the country is providing all sorts of different welfare to people who, frankly, don't need it.

Mark Levy

The supply thing is the big thing for me. We've got all these people rushing out from October 1 to go and try and enter the property market, which is fantastic; we want people to own their own homes; it's the Australian dream. But, while we don't have enough houses out there at the moment, and there's a concession from the government, yes, we probably won't get to the 1. 2 million homes we've got to build. It's just going to drive up prices and drive up demand and virtually price people out of the market, I would have thought, Senator?

Senator Bragg

Well, the idea of the government providing a limited form of lenders mortgage insurance was one which was supposed to be targeted for lower income owners or lower income people. But now it's going to be expanded to all Australians, irrespective of their income. So, I just think we're getting into a very dangerous position in this country where the government is- taxpayers are funding things they shouldn't be, which is one of the reasons why we've got 10 years of deficits. And, also at the same time, I make the point that the government said they want to cut red tape, but here they are becoming the nation's biggest mortgage insurer, at the same time, they want to be a property developer, so – with their massive Housing Australia Future Fund – so, the government is all over the shop, Mark.

Mark Levy

This 1.2 million new homes they've got to build by 2029, I was quite taken by a comment that was made by Clare O'Neil on Sky yesterday – Andrew Clennell asked the question – and the best the Minister could come back was with, the public should be applauding the ambitious goal for the country. Well, it's just another broken promise. We're still waiting for our electricity bills to come down by $275, and this promise of 1. 2 million homes is simply not going to happen.

Senator Bragg

Well, as I say, we've had the biggest surge in population since the '50s, we’ve had a massive collapse in housing construction, the 1.2 million new houses is a complete pipe dream, and even their own $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, which has been going for two years, has built 17 houses. Most people would say that a $10 billion fund that returns 17 houses after two years is a pretty bad investment.

Mark Levy

Well, what about, though, this National Construction Code? There needed to be some changes here. This is good news. It's been quite convoluted and complicated. I know you pointed to some of the things that have happened under Labor with this National Construction Code. But look, if we're going to start stripping it back, well, that's a good thing, I would have thought.

Senator Bragg

That's a good thing. But let's see how they go. They're committing to making more changes to the code this year, and then they're going to have a freeze until 2029. What we need to see is some material red tape cut from that code in the next few months, because that will help builders and tradies get going on new builds. I'm worried this is going to get mired in more bureaucracy between the Commonwealth and the State Building Ministers, because, of course, the construction code needs to be legislated at the state level. Here in New South Wales, the State Parliament would have to enact any changes that are agreed through the Housing Minister's meetings.

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Mark Levy

All right. It's all well and good for us, Andrew, to sit here and talk about the fact that we're concerned. You're the alternative Housing Minister, right? How would you fix the problem we'refacing at the moment with supply and getting younger Australians into the market?

Senator Bragg

The first thing you do is focus on getting the houses built, and you've got to listen to the builders and the tradies and the developers. So, you get rid of all the bureaucracy, you try and cut the construction code in half, and you look to bring in more builders and train more Australian tradies. Now, under this government, we've got more yoga teachers coming into the country than we've got builders. So, there's a whole lot of practical things you do. But you focus on the supply side, Mark. That's the right approach. These demand side measures are often gimmicks. They sound good for politicians to talk about, but I think most Australians would think it's ridiculous for children of billionaires to get access to a government housing scheme, as is now proposed by the Albanese Government. It's ridiculous.

Mark Levy

Absolutely. And Andrew, just one last one, one thing to come out of this economic reform roundtable, I just heard the Prime Minister say it again this morning, intergenerational equity. We're pitting generation against generation. Now, if I were to think back to when I first entered the property market, Senator, I relied on the bank of mum and dad because I needed a little bit of a helping hand to get into the property market. So, one thing that's lost while we talk about intergenerational equity is that people that have paid their taxes and worked hard to be successful, the government wants to go after them. What then happens to the bank of mum and dad that's helping those younger Australians, that the government keeps referring to in this intergenerational equity? Do I make a point or not?

Senator Bragg

Well, we're not going to support higher taxes on people who've worked hard and built Australia up. That's not the way to go. But it is a fair point that younger people do have a pretty rough trot these days, given the high taxes that they have to face, then they have a HECS debt, it’s very hard to get that first deposit together. There are issues facing younger people that we've got to look at, but I don't think the way to fix those is to hit older Australians with higher taxes.

Mark Levy

All right. Well, it's going to dominate the discussion in Canberra this week, another fortnight sitting week, and I'm sure you'll be all over it. Appreciate your time as always.

Senator Bragg

Thanks, Mark. Cheers.

[Ends]

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