‘And it’s little wonder the government dwells so much on this argument. Rising house prices are very popular amongst Australian households, the majority of which are owners. And stamp duties on housing transactions are key sources of income for state governments. Our research found the default position for politicians is to sound concerned about housing affordability, but do nothing.
‘The supply refrain has all the hallmarks of a good policy for a politician. Increasing housing supply – rather than reducing the tax breaks that stimulate excessive demand – is a popular policy with peak property groups. The Property Council has been saying the same thing for years, so the supply solution has come to sound like fact.’
- Why housing supply shouldn’t be the only policy tool politicians cling to »
- States drag feet on affordable housing, with Victoria the worst »
- House prices: Ideas and solutions range from dangerous to disastrous »
- Trad agrees: Queensland needs a housing supply council to stop housing ‘shortfalls’ »
- Australia’s almost a world leader in home building, so that isn’t a fix for affordability »
- Why our regulators are losing sleep over housing »
- Put unused and ‘lazy’ land to work to ease the affordable housing crisis »
- The solution to our housing crisis is deceptively simple – we need to build more houses »
- Money for social housing, not home buyers grants, is the key to construction stimulus »
- The uneven distribution of housing supply 2006-2016 »
- Brisbane running out of land for new homes, with less than 3 years’ supply »
- Social housing stock barely changes as waiting lists blow out and rental stress rises across Australia »
- Look where Australia’s ‘1 million empty homes’ are and why they’re vacant – they’re not a simple solution to housing need »
- The new normal: changed patterns of dwelling demand and supply
- Governments are pouring money into housing but materials, land and labour are still in short supply
- Planning laws protect people. A poorly regulated rush to boost housing supply will cost us all
Australia needs to reboot affordable housing funding, not scrap it
Chris Martin and Hal Pawson write in The Conversation (20.2.17): ‘It should be no surprise that Australia’s social housing has been largely static for 20 years. Everything we know about the system tells us it is not funded to even cover the costs of its ongoing operation, let alone growth to meet the needs of an expanding population. Aside from a one-off boost under the 2009 federal economic stimulus plan, social housing has been on a starvation ration for decades.’
- Australia needs to reboot affordable housing funding, not scrap it »
- Housing affordability problems might not be all bad »
- Moving on from home ownership for ‘Generation Rent’ »
- Housing affordability off the agenda again as Turnbull shirks the tax challenge »
- Housing affordability: How did we get here, and do first-time buyers ever stand a chance? »
- Government guarantee opens investment highway to affordable housing »
- How the housing boom has driven rising inequality »
- Estimating need and costs of social and affordable housing delivery »
- When houses earn more than jobs: how we lost control of Australian house prices and how to get it back »
- McKell Institute: The crumbling Australian dream – an examination of Australia’s housing sector »
- More affordable housing with less homelessness is possible – if only Australia would learn from Nordic nations »
- ‘Situation is urgent’: treat housing crisis like a natural disaster, Queensland government told »
- An Australian dollar buys increasingly less in the property market — a colossal failure of policy
- Aussie dream turns to nightmare: How the real housing crisis is only just beginning
- Turning the housing crisis around: how a circular economy can give us affordable, sustainable homes
- Will taxing short stays boost long-term rental supply? Other policies would achieve more