A bidding war over housing has broken out over housing, with both major parties using their official campaign launches to unveil what they hope will be game-changing housing policies.

So how do the two policies stack up?

A re-elected Labor government would make all first home-buyers eligible for the five per cent home deposit scheme, and is also promising to fund the construction of 100-thousand new homes specifically for first home buyers.

Meanwhile, the Coalition is promising it'll help "make home ownership achievable again" — the First Homebuyer Mortgage Deductibility Scheme will allow first home buyers to deduct interest on mortgage payments from their taxable income.

It only applies for new properties, and only for the first five years of the loan.

Meanwhile, The US Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, has boldly predicted the US will have found the cause of autism by September.

Mr Kennedy has launched a study to investigate what he calls the autism "epidemic", prompting concerns in the medical industry that it may only serve to promote spurious claims linking autism to vaccines, which Mr Kennedy has long supported.

Outgoing senior US health official Dr Peter Marks has said overnight that it amounts to giving people false hope. 

Recap the morning's news, politics and global affairs with the Breakfast Wrap