Sky News host Peta Credlin said more than 50,000 non-citizens are accessing a federal five percent first-home-buyer deposit scheme [1].

The issue highlights a growing debate over the eligibility of non-citizens for taxpayer-funded benefits during a period of significant housing pressure in Australia.

Credlin said one in five people using the scheme are non-citizens [2]. She said this information was revealed by Labor Minister Clare O'Neil during Question Time [2]. The five percent deposit scheme is designed to help first-time buyers enter the property market by reducing the initial capital required for a home loan.

Credlin said these benefits should be reserved for those who have committed to the country. "I think most Australians would say, if you haven’t signed up to be an Australian citizen, well, you don’t get to sign yourself up to our welfare or taxpayer support either," Credlin said [2].

She said the current situation involves "non-citizens who are accessing a taxpayer-funded deposit scheme" [2]. Credlin's concerns center on the principle that government support for home ownership should be a privilege tied to citizenship rather than residency status.

While the program aims to increase home ownership rates, the inclusion of non-citizens has become a point of contention. The debate focuses on whether taxpayer-funded initiatives should prioritize citizens who have a permanent legal commitment to the nation, over those who may not hold that status.

“One in five, revealed by Clare O’Neil today in Question Time, is accessing this [5% deposit] scheme.”

This controversy reflects a broader political tension in Australia regarding the allocation of limited public resources. By questioning the eligibility of non-citizens for housing schemes, critics are pushing for a stricter definition of social welfare that prioritizes national citizenship over residency, potentially signaling future policy shifts in how federal housing grants are administered.