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Multiple One Nation MPs are unclear about their party's housing policy

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Multiple One Nation MPs have shown confusion regarding the party's housing policy, which proposes foreign owners sell Australian homes within two years.
  • Party leader Pauline Hanson clarified the policy would not affect permanent residents, contradicting earlier statements by Barnaby Joyce.
  • Senator Sean Bell struggled to explain details of the policy during a radio interview, leading the host to call it a 'train wreck.'

Confusion surrounds One Nation's proposed housing policy, with several party members demonstrating a lack of clarity on its specifics. The policy, which aims to compel foreign owners of Australian homes to sell their properties within two years or face government repossession, has led to misstatements and an inability to provide crucial details from multiple MPs. Initially, One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce stated that the measure would also apply to permanent residents, requiring them to divest their properties unless they became Australian citizens. However, following a second interview, Joyce backtracked, confirming the policy would not extend to permanent residents. Party leader Pauline Hanson later clarified on social media that the two-year divestment period would apply to temporary visa holders and foreign citizens residing overseas, while also stating that international students, non-permanent residents, and non-Australian citizens would be prohibited from purchasing future properties. Despite these clarifications, further confusion emerged when Senator Sean Bell appeared on Sydney radio. Bell was unable to provide details on the consequences if homes were not sold within the two-year timeframe or whether the government could still repossess them. The host, Mark Levy, ended the interview prematurely, describing the situation as a 'train wreck' and emphasizing the need for clarity. Deputy Opposition Leader Jane Hume expressed concern, suggesting that One Nation itself seemed unsure of its own policy and warning that any plan to force people from their homes should raise alarms for Australians.

Become an Australian citizen and that's going to deal with the issue, right? Become an Australian citizen.

โ€” Barnaby JoyceBarnaby Joyce initially stated that permanent residents would need to become citizens to keep their homes under the proposed policy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.