The Albanese government announced this morning it will fast-track its expansion of the First Home Guarantee scheme, bringing forward its start date to October to give buyers access three months earlier than promised. Administered by Housing Australia, the scheme enables deposits as low as 5 per cent of a property’s value for eligible buyers, with the government acting as a guarantor on the remaining 15 per cent to help purchasers avoid mortgage insurance. Mortgage Choice – Figtree broker Phil Wheatley said the two-fold savings of a reduced deposit and avoiding mortgage insurance repayments will help more first-home buyers get into…
Author: Alexander Trewartha
Suicide prevention charity ‘Talk2meBro’ hosted a mixed-gender session of ice baths and breathwork this weekend at North Wollongong Beach, aimed at promoting community conversation around men’s mental health. On average, two men commit suicide every day in NSW, with 729 male suspected suicide deaths in 2024 out of almost 1000 total. Co-founder of UOW’s ‘Recovery Camp’ Professor Lorna Moxham said a breakdown in the state’s mental health treatment system is to blame for the consistently high statistics. “We’ve got a perfect storm – we’ve got more people with mental health conditions than we’ve ever had, less specialists…