On 4 June 2020, the Australian Government announced HomeBuilder to provide eligible owner-occupiers (including first home buyers) with a grant of $25,000 to build a new home, substantially renovate an existing home or buy an off-the-plan home/new home.

As per the eligibility criteria each applicant must be:

• a natural person (not a company or trust),
• aged 18 years or older at the date of the contract, and
• an Australian citizen at the date of application

An Australian permanent resident , is someone who is entitled to the privileges of buying a property in Australia and apply for bank loans. Yet, the recently announced HomeBuilder grant and the First Home Loan Deposit scheme is limited to the citizens of Australia.

From an economic perspective, a citizen does not contribute any more to the economy of Australia than that of a Permanent Resident, to be entitled exclusively to the privilege of a HomeBuilder grant. It is also extremely unfair to people holding a permanent resident visa, who wants to build a home in this country be denied of a grant that is meant to support the economic agility this country needs now, while they endure the misery caused by this pandemic just as much as the citizens.

It is also important to know that this grant has led to all the builders in the property market increase their prices on home designs. As a consequence, the permanent resident visa holders are at a huge disadvantage of having to finance a new home at the "inflated price" of the builders, with a First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) of AUD $10,000, while an Australian citizen receives a financial support of AUD $35,000 (Homebuilders grant+ FHOG).

As per my discussion with many of the Builders, the Australian government is providing this grant to support the Builders in this economy. If so, why does it matter whether the help comes from a citizen or a permanent resident? If the grant comes to help the builders and thereby help people buy, build or renovate, there should be no reason why it’s only for citizens when permanent residents are equally eligible of buying, building or renovating a home.

The recent Federal budget also announced a First Home Loan Deposit scheme which is exclusively offered to citizens. Permanent Residents of Australia while given the opportunity to purchase a property and take a home loan in this country, is being denied of equality and value in the property market while they work equally hard as a citizen, to make an investment which eventually strengthens the economic stability of this country.

Over the past two decades, Australian government has been using immigration and education as the most lucrative strategies to build and support this nation's economy. Dividing the market players into Citizens and Permanent Residents is a blatant violation of economic justice in a country that proudly advocates the values of "fairness" and "equal opportunity". Such unscrupulous treatment of people, who move to Australia with hopes and dreams about living an honest, financially stable and peaceful life is most unfortunate and disrespectful. Kindly note that, by offering such financial support initiatives exclusively to the citizens, the Government of Australia is painting a very callous and demeaning picture of  Permanent Residents of Australia as second class people in this country while they contribute to the very foundations of economic stability on which the Australian economy thrives.

I hope this petition will shake the moral compass of the path which Australian government is following to maintain social and economic security. I hope this instigates the much necessary discourse regarding the matters detailed above.