SENATOR DEAN SMITH
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE SHADOW TREASURER
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR THE COST OF LIVING
LIBERAL SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA
18 February 2026
LABOR SEATS DOMINATE WA SUBURBS WITH THE MOST MORTGAGE HOLDERS
Suburbs located in Labor-held federal electorates dominate the list of Western Australia’s top ten areas with the highest number of homes carrying a mortgage, exposing the scale of financial pressure facing households under the Albanese Government’s interest rate increases.
New analysis of ABS Census data, commissioned by Senator Dean Smith from the Federal Parliamentary Library, shows the majority of the State’s top mortgage-heavy suburbs are located in the Labor seats of Burt, Hasluck, Brand, Cowan and Pearce.
The data highlights that the very communities Labor represents are among those most exposed to rising interest rates and mortgage stress.
Braham – Henley Brook in Hasluck topped the list, with 75.5 per cent of homes under mortgage. Burt suburbs also ranked prominently, including Piara Waters–Forrestdale (72.7 per cent), Harrisdale (67.2 per cent) and Byford (68.4 per cent, shared with Canning).
In Pearce, Carramar (66 per cent) and Alkimos (64.6 per cent) recorded some of the highest mortgage concentrations, while Landsdale in Cowan ranked in the top five at 68.1 per cent.
Two Brand suburbs also made the top ten — Casuarina–Wandi (64.1 per cent) and Wellard (West)–Bertram (61.3 per cent).
The analysis uses the most recent Census data on mortgaged homes and models repayment changes through to the latest interest rate increase; with projections should further rate rises occur this year.
Because the Census baseline is from August 2021, the number of affected households today is likely significantly higher, reflecting population growth and new housing development across Perth’s outer metropolitan growth corridors.
Comments attributable to Senator Dean Smith:
“Labor-held seats dominate the list of suburbs with the most mortgage holders in Western Australia — which means Labor’s own communities are bearing the brunt of their economic mismanagement.”
“These are families who did exactly what governments encourage — they worked hard, bought a home and took on a mortgage — and now they are paying the price for Labor’s inflationary spending.”
“The Reserve Bank is being forced to do the heavy lifting because the Albanese Government refuses to control its spending, and interest rates are the consequence.”
“What this analysis shows clearly is that mortgage stress is not an abstract national issue — it is hitting Labor-held communities in Western Australia hardest.”
“And if market expectations of further rate rises prove correct, thousands more WA households — many in Labor electorates — will face even greater pressure on their family budgets.”
Source: ABS Census, August 2021
Top ten suburbs based on percentage of homes owned with a mortgage
| Seat | Suburb | % Homes with mortgage | Median monthly repayment
(Census August 2021) |
Median monthly repayment
(January 2026) at 5.51% |
Increase from August 2021 to January 2026
(monthly) |
Median monthly repayment
(February 2026) +0.25% |
Projected median monthly repayment
(January 2027) +1.00% |
Increase from August 2021 to January 2027 – as projected
(monthly) |
| Hasluck | Braham-Henley Brook | 75.5% | 1,950 | $2,705 | $755 | $2,780 | $3,011 | $1,061 |
| Burt | Piara Waters-Forrestdale | 72.7% | $2,028 | $2,813 | $785 | $2,891 | $3,131 | $1,103 |
| Burt | Byford | 68.4% | $1,914 | $2,655 | $741 | $2,728 | $2,955 | $1,041 |
| Cowan | Landsdale | 68.1% | $2,167 | $3,006 | $839 | $3,089 | $3,346 | $1,179 |
| Burt | Harrisdale | 67.2% | $2,000 | $2,774 | $774 | $2,851 | $3,088 | $1,088 |
| Hasluck | Aveley | 67.0% | $1,950 | $2,705 | $755 | $2,780 | $3,011 | $1,061 |
| Pearce | Carramar | 66% | $1,907 | $2,645 | $738 | $2,718 | $2,944 | $1,037 |
| Pearce | Alkimos-Eglinton | 64.6% | $1,950 | $2,705 | $755 | $2,790 | $3,011 | $1,061 |
| Brand | Casuarina – Wandi | 64.1% | $2,000 | $2,774 | $774 | $2,851 | $3,081 | $1,081 |
| Brand | Wellard (West) – Bertram
|
61.3% | $1,800 | $2,497 | $697 | $2,566 | $2,779 | $979 |
Source ABS/Federal Parliamentary Library
