Independent economist Saul Eslake told NewsWire the schemes added to demand and would only increase the price of housing. “As my fellow independent economist Chris Richardson often says, stop doing dumb stuff,” Mr Eslake said. “Anything that allows Australians to spend more on housing than they otherwise would results in more expensive housing and fewer people owning them.”The government’s housing scheme will start on Wednesday. How the expanded scheme could impact pricesAustralia’s housing affordability issues could worsen if the scheme adds to demand. Separate Lateral Economics figures for the Insurance Council of Australia predicts the scheme will substantially boost demand among first-home buyers.