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Queensland just announced it’s scrapping stamp duty for first home buyers on new builds under $700,000, and it’s giving off big “please love us” energy ahead of an election. Premier Steven Miles called it a “game-changer,” which is political code for “we’re panicking about young voters fleeing the state.” +ABC News, +9News The deal sweetens the existing $30,000 First Home Owner Grant, meaning young Queenslanders might actually be able to afford a slab of concrete with a roof—if they can find a tradie who isn’t booked till 2026.

It’s all part of the government’s push to look proactive while quietly ignoring that the real problem is decades of underbuilding, investor hoarding, and rental prices that make you cry in Aldi. But wait, there’s fine print! The exemption only applies to new homes, not established ones—so if you were dreaming of buying a cute weatherboard with “character,” sorry, you’re still getting slugged.

And it won’t fix the fact that developers are hiking up prices to swallow grants like a python on protein powder. Critics say it’s a headline grab dressed as housing reform. But hey, if it gets one couple into a 2-bed in Ipswich instead of a tent behind Coles, maybe it's something. Just don’t expect this to cool the housing market—it’s more of a fan on full blast in a sauna.

Sources: ABC News, 9News, Courier Mail, The Guardian Australia