IN BRIEF
- Barnaby Joyce was asked to re-record comments stating One Nation policy would force permanent residents to sell their homes.
- There are strict rules already in place for foreign owners, who currently account for 0.03 per cent of the market.
Pauline Hanson has been forced to clarify One Nation's position on foreign home ownership after two "train wreck" interviews.
The One Nation leader wrote "Australian homes should be prioritised for Australians" on social media on Friday.
She said "temporary visa holders and foreign citizens residing overseas" would have two years to sell their residential properties in Australia under her party's policy.
However, permanent residents won't be required to sell their homes.
The statement came after a public blunder from One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce during an interview on Sky News.
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Appearing on The Bolt Report on Thursday night, Joyce was asked if, under One Nation, permanent residents would have to sell their properties.
"That's my belief in the policy, it does," he responded.
"We want to make it, that you become … an Australian citizen … and that will, that’s going to deal with the issue, isn’t it? Become an Australian citizen."
After the interview, Joyce reportedly made several phone calls and then asked to re-record his response.
He returned on-air to retract his statement and clarify the party's policy.
"This policy is formative, but on further investigation and discussions with One Nation, no, we are not going to be kicking permanent residents out of their house," he said.
He said the "concept is quite clear".
"We want people to progress through to Australian citizenship, but that should not come at the expense of permanent residents being divested of their house."
Joyce is not the only One Nation member to confuse the party's policy.
On Friday morning, 2GB Radio host Mark Levy asked Senator Sean Bell if foreign owners would have their property seized if they failed to sell within two years.
“That is an excellent question, but what we’re saying, and it is perfectly reasonable to expect that homes in Australia go to Australian citizens,” Bell responded.
Pushed to provide a clear answer, Bell said the "policy is one that's being brought forward and investigated".
Levy described the interview as a "train wreck", suggesting Bell "get some clarity before this gets worse".
According to the Australian Taxation Office, 40,000 residential properties in Australia are foreign-owned — 0.03 per cent of the total 10.9 million dwellings in Australia.
Currently, temporary residents and foreign citizens can only buy new or near-new properties, established dwellings if they intend to redevelop them, off-the-plan properties and vacant residential land.
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