Alarming posts on social media claim that the federal government is proposing legislation allowing it to seize underutilised homes from older Australians.

The claim is based on a fabricated piece of legislation and appears to be based on a video created with artificial intelligence. 

A widely shared Facebook video posted on February 4 shows a man describing the supposed law.

“The Australian government is planning to take senior citizens’ homes from July 2026, this year,” he says.

“Under the Housing Reform Bill, [if] the home is now deemed underutilised, you’ll have to sell it back to the government or it’ll be forced to be under seizure.”

The man says the bill contains a “property efficiency clause”, which means the government can determine if the property meets current efficiency standards. 

Property owners over the age of 65 who refuse seizure proceedings can have their pension cut off or reduced, the video claims. 

“This is happening. Look it up under the Housing Reform Bill,” it ends. 

The claim appears to be based on information in a January 18 YouTube video from a channel named Australia Rising.

The account posts a range of misinformation about Australian politics. Photo: facebook/AAP

This video, which has more than 22,000 views, instead refers to a “2026 Property Reform Act” but the description of the legislation is the same. 

“This property efficiency clause gives the government the authority to reclaim or repurpose private residential properties that are deemed underutilised,” it claims. 

“If you’re a senior citizen living alone in a home with more than one bedroom, your property could be flagged.” 

A disclaimer in the video’s description says it was made with altered or synthetic content.

There is no evidence the federal government has proposed a Housing Reform Bill or passed a Property Reform Act. 

A spokesperson for Housing Minister Clare O’Neil confirmed the claims are false.

Clare O’Neil confirmed that no such bill has been proposed or passed. Photo: AAP

There was no legislation as described in the posts and the government was not looking at or planning to seize homes, they said. 

A list of current bills in all state and territory parliaments shows no legislation under these names or laws that could allow governments to seize “underutilised” property. 

The YouTube channel has posted more than 100 videos, many based on false claims about the government or new laws being introduced.

-AAP