First Home Owners Act 1983

This Act established a government grant scheme to help Australians buy or build their first home between 1983 and 1991. It provided cash payments (called financial assistance) to eligible first home buyers, with the amount depending on their income.

Who qualified To receive the grant, you had to be a "prescribed person" — essentially someone who had never owned a home in Australia before and who intended to live in the new home as their main residence. You could apply alone or with others (joint applicants), and married or de facto partners (spouses) could also qualify. At least one applicant needed to have lived in Australia for 12 months beforehand and be an Australian citizen or permanent resident (holders of valid permanent entry permits or certain visas).

What properties were covered The Act covered buying an existing dwelling, building a new one through a contractor, or even buying a relocatable home to move onto land. Special rules applied to apartments in multi-unit buildings (through "approved interests" like shares in a body corporate), rural properties where someone was given permission to build on another person's land, and homes held in trust for beneficiaries.

How much money was available The grant wasn't a flat rate — it depended on your "prescribed earnings" (your taxable income from the relevant financial year, usually the previous year). If your income was below a set threshold (the "lower relevant amount"), you received the full grant. If it was above the higher threshold, you received nothing. In between, the amount was calculated using a sliding scale formula. The regulations allowed for higher payments to applicants with dependent children.