Page 582 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 2019
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how students would not be able to go out and buy their own property if everyone departed the market, as an example of how stupid Mr Pettersson’s comments were. That is the case.
Mr Pettersson is going on the radio and saying, “It would be really great if all the landlords left the market.” Tell that to the students who are struggling to pay $150 each a week for rent in a group house. That is roughly what they are paying. I know that because that is the conversation I have had this week. You put three or four kids together. They have to rustle it up out of their salaries that they earn while studying, probably working in hospitality. Probably, if they are really lucky, they are earning $21 or $22 an hour. You tell them that if their landlord leaves the market they can just buy the house. I know that Mr Pettersson is young and idealistic, but that is utterly and completely ridiculous. It is not going to happen. These students are not going to be able to buy the house they are living in or any other house, because they do not have a savings record. They do not have the capacity to borrow.
Does he expect that we are going to create a whole lot of basket-weaving collectives of people going out and building units? I do not think so. Mr Pettersson has little understanding of the economic realities of the housing market. Mr Pettersson will trot out the lies of the CFMEU. That is about all his understanding is.
The parents in this town know that it is increasingly difficult, probably impossible in some cases, for their children to own property and that they will not have the advantages their parents had. Our children will be worse off than we are because they will not have the same access to home ownership as we did. That makes you poor all your life. What happens to you when you are no longer earning an income? When you are on a pension or limited superannuation, how do you pay your rent?
These are real, long-term issues that keep people awake at night. They keep my children and their generation awake at night. And it keeps me, my husband and our generation awake at night wondering how our children will get on. Mr Pettersson needs to wake up to himself and realise that some of the issues we face in here are a little more complex than young men who have very little world experience, except through the Xbox, know.
Members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Members, please. Ms Cheyne, I do not want to have to warn you.
MS CODY (Murrumbidgee) (11.51): I was not planning on speaking on this debate. I am actually an extremely privileged young person. I count my lucky stars every day. I left school at 14. I was working full time for many years as an apprentice hairdresser, earning bugger-all money, but I managed—
MADAM SPEAKER: Language, Ms Cody!
MS CODY: I beg your pardon. I was earning very little money and I was lucky enough to live at home with my parents so that I could save up the deposit for my first house.
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