Mrs Irwin asked the Treasurer, upon notice, on 20 March 2002:

(1) How many First Home Owner Grants have been made since the commencement of the scheme.

(2) What sum has been paid out in grants since the commencement of the scheme.

(3) Are applicants for the grant required to live in the home for which the grant was given for any fixed period of time.

(4) Are recipients of the grant permitted to lease the home for which the grant was made for any fixed period of time; if so, how are grant applicants advised of this condition.

(5) Is the scheme audited to ensure that applicants have not previously owned residential property; if so, what checks are carried out to confirm the status of the applicant.

(6) Are these checks carried out on all applicants or only a sample.

(7) Is the scheme audited to ensure that applicants do not lease the property for which the grant applied for any period of time proscribed in the conditions for the grant; if so, what checks are carried out to confirm the applicants compliance with this condition.

(8) Are these checks carried out on all applicants or only a sample.

(9) Have any persons been found to have breached this condition.

(10) What action has been taken against any persons found to have breached this condition.

(11) What penalties does the scheme allow when conditions are breached

Mr Costello (Treasurer) —The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1) At 30 April 2003, 462,106 grants have been paid since the commencement of the scheme.

(2) At 30 April 2003, the total sum of grants paid under the scheme was $3,647,034,058. (These numbers are provided by the States and Territories and are subject to revision.)

(3) to (11) The FHOS is administered by the States and Territories in a manner consistent with the principles outlined in the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Reform of Commonwealth-State Financial Relations endorsed by Heads of Governments in June 1999. Therefore, these questions should be directed to the relevant State and Territory authorities.