MP condemns NAB’s hefty home deposits

OCTOBER 29, 2015: I am going to issue an invitation to the CEO of the National Australia Bank to visit Mackay and hear first-hand about the effects of the bank’s decision to restrict home loan lending to those who can stump up with a 30% deposit.More than 20 real estate industry leaders met with me this week to share their concerns about the bank’s ruling that buyers in Mackay are a “credit risk”.The National Australia Bank has led the way in kicking us when we are down with this hard-line approach to lending, and actions like this do nothing to stimulate the economy and encourage investment.Very few people can afford a 30% deposit for a house, so they are making it more difficult for people to get finance and more difficult for people to sell in this market.This is likely to lead to a further drop in house prices.Banks should be helping to attract more investors into the region to boost real estate sales.I am currently seeking a meeting with NAB CEO Andrew Thorburn.I will then  invite Mr Thorburn to come to Mackay and meet with business and civic leaders so he can get a firsthand insight into what this decision means for our region.As real estate agents have explained, the lower prices in Mackay create opportunities for people to enter the housing market.But slapping a “Group A restricted postcode” on us and demanding a 30% deposit is a massive disincentive.