Multiple Australian outlets report a sharp decline in home loan activity, describing a steep fall in mortgage applications. The articles attribute the downturn primarily to higher interest rates set by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), which increase borrowing costs and reduce affordability for prospective borrowers. They also point to changes in federal budget tax settings as a contributing factor affecting demand for housing finance. While the sources use similar language about the extent of the drop, they do not present a detailed breakdown of figures in the provided excerpts, nor do they specify which segment of the market (such as investor versus owner-occupier) is most affected. Overall, the reports frame the movement as part of a broader tightening in mortgage demand following monetary policy moves and concurrent fiscal/tax decisions. The outlets’ common thrust is that rising borrowing costs and policy-related impacts are reducing the number of people applying for home loans. The articles do not claim any single lender-led action in the excerpts, focusing instead on macroeconomic drivers behind reduced application volumes.