(Transcript from World News Australia Radio)
Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey has been forced to defend his comments claiming all that's needed to enter Sydney's overheated housing market is a good job which pays good money.
The remarks have caused an outcry from across the political divide and have people again questioning his political judgement.
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Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey is again facing accusations he's out of touch with Australians.
After delivering a reasonably well received budget, Mr Hockey may have undone any political good from it by claiming that housing is still affordable - even in Sydney.
"The starting point for a first home buyer is to get a good job that pays good money. If you've got a good job that pays good money and you have security in relation to that job, then you can go to the bank and you can borrow money and that's readily affordable, more affordable than ever, to borrow money for a first home now than it's ever been."
The median Sydney house price is around $900,000 - that's more than 11 times the average annual wage.
That compares with the ratio from 20 years ago of about six times the average wage.
Mr Hockey says he while he understands houses are costly, the federal government is working to create more, better-paying jobs which will help.
He's also calling on state and local governments to encourage housing development.
Greens leader Richard Di Natale says the comments are further proof the Treasurer doesn't understand the pressures people are facing.
"Well his mates might be buying them, and the big end of town might be buying them, but if you're a young kid trying to get into the housing market you're struggling at the moment. If you don't own a property and you're trying to get into the housing market, you're in deep trouble right now because we do have a housing crisis when it comes to housing affordability."
The opposition also says Mr Hockey's comments show he is out of touch with reality.
Labor's assistant treasury spokesman, Andrew Leigh highlighted Mr Hockey's outburst 12 months ago, when he said poor people don't drive cars when trying to sell a budget proposal to re-index fuel excise.
Now leader Bill Shorten says it shows the Abbott government doesn't understand Australians.
"What is clear today is the Treasurer of Australia yesterday showed how out of touch the Abbott Government is by declaring if you wanted to ever enter the housing market in Sydney, you simply had to have a good job. The problem with Joe Hockey is he doesn't get it. There are a lot of people out there working hard to make ends meet. These are the people Australia needs and what Joe Hockey has done is he has slammed the door on the dream of housing affordability."
Independent senator Nick Xenophon has told Sky news the Treasurer's latest comments are just "foolish".
"You know there's that line 'say it ain't so Joe' - I mean, I wasn't aware that Joe Hockey was getting media advice from Kim Kardashian. It just seems, just an incredibly inane thing to say. There are a whole range of reasons concerning housing affordability. The lack of affordability particularly in the Sydney market. They need to be tackled at a local, state and federal government level. And saying you just have to get a better job kind of misses the point."
But two Sydney coalition backbench MPs are supporting the Treasurer.
John Alexander and Craig Laundy say Mr Hockey's comments were taken out of context and he has magnificent judgment.
And Social Services Minister Scott Morrison says Mr Hockey is right, and housing affordability is about supplying enough houses.
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