Wednesday, 16 September 2026

Transcript: inflation; housing; migration.

E&OE……………………..

Tim Wilson: Another day, another example of the Albanese government's active inflation agenda destroying the wealth and wages of Australian families. There's more data out today showing that volume of sales and the price of housing continues to go backwards, wealth of Australians is going backwards, and increasingly even Labor backbenchers are turning around and calling the Treasurer out. Labor backbenchers had a secret meeting yesterday that has been leaked, and out of those leaks they're saying very clearly the Treasurer's political spin isn't matching what they're living on the ground. Australian households are going backwards, real wages are going backwards, and wealth is going backwards, and Labor backbenchers are now in open revolt because they see that the Treasurer is just feeding the Australian people lies, just like the Prime Minister did before the last election.

Journalist: Labor in the budget left negative gearing arrangements on purchases of new properties, but the purchase rates are still slumping. What do you put that down to? Is it just confidence is shot?

Tim Wilson: It's very clear that there has been an absolute smashing in confidence in housing, and that is destroying the wealth of Australian households. This government has spectacularly managed a trifecta where rents are rising, so first home buyers are being knee-capped even before they get their foothold in the market, the price of houses are dropping at the top end while they're barely moving for first home entrants, which is a spectacular achievement in itself, and then of course they're smashing confidence. So Australian households are just going backwards every which way, and because of the Treasurer's active inflation agenda, people's wages are going backwards, as well as their wealth is going backwards.

Journalist: Just on, I guess, the slumping people buying new builds, what more do you think, do you think needs to be done to kind of turn that around and encourage people to look at new builds when it comes to buying property?

Tim Wilson: The only way we're going to see a change in increase in the volume of housing, where we see an improvement in wages, and where Australians can get ahead is through a change of government. Governments have two choices. They can channel people's energy into fighting over a diminishing pie, or we can focus on how we can have the incentives to grow the economy. We can have an Australia where Australians channel their energy to improving their lives and the wealth and well-being of every Australian. Instead, we have a government that is solely focused on starting fights around the kitchen tables of the nation. That is why wealth and wages is going backwards.

Journalist: Tim, we're hearing Labor's new migration reforms will be announced on Thursday. How soon off can we expect to hear the Coalition's offering? Have you missed the jump here?

Tim Wilson: We're focused on building a migration program that meets Australia's national interest. We're making sure that our policy is focused on how we improve the health of the nation, we ensure there's proper integration of new Australians, and that people come to Australia, they commit to Australia, and are loyal to Australia, and they contribute to Australia. So, our focus is on a comprehensive policy, not something designed on the back of a napkin, because we're actually interested in advancing Australia's national interest, not just a political interest.

Journalist: The farming groups seem quite concerned at the slowdown on working holiday visas or people coming in to fill those farming roles. Are you concerned about that?

Tim Wilson: Well, I'm concerned about any plan for migration that doesn't advance Australia's national interest. And I know myself and the Member for Canning [Member for Canning walks past] have a very clear focus on building Australia's national interest, because that's what Australians expect governments and parliamentarians to do. That's why we're building out a policy program that is focused on building out Australia's national interest step-by-step, addressing the economic challenges that we face, but also making sure there's pathways for social integration for new Australians. It's really important to understand this, is that under the plans that have been put out there at the moment that are uncosted, that haven't looked at the budgetary impacts, they're also not looking at the tax impacts. I think there's some really simple questions the media needs to ask of political parties putting out back-of-the-napkin immigration plans. How much is income tax going to rise as a consequence of their plans? Because if you have the structure of the design of their migration program, taxes are going to increase on Australians, Australian households, and small businesses, and that is not going to deliver a better outcome for the whole of Australia. Thank you.

[ENDS]