Housing
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The RBA is on a knife-edge between recession and inflation
Monetary policy operates with a lag. The pain from increased interest rates is only now starting to really bite. However, the substantial increase in interest rates is reducing demand and thus bringing inflation down. While on the other hand, further interest rate increases add to the risk of a recession. It is time therefore to Continue reading »
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Are the Greens losing the renters’ vote?
One of the emerging political challenges of the 2020’s in Australia is the contest for the votes of renters. Continue reading »
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Public housing options for Australia
Figures show that the level of public housing has hardly increased in more than 20 years, even though the Australian population has increased markedly (by about 30%). Continue reading »
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Please sir I want some more. The case for needs-based funding for the Northern Territory
When unpacking the way in which national funds for front line services such as homelessness are handed out, arguably little has changed for modern day Darwin since the garrison town was bombed in 1942. Continue reading »
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Federal housing minister needs policy renovation
Federal member for Franklin, Labor’s Julie Collins, is the Minister for Housing and Homelessness. Her current plans to fix the housing crisis look like putting a Band-aid on a broken leg. And breaking the other leg for good measure. Continue reading »
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High stakes in the climate diaspora
Weeks and months after devastating floods hit many regional centres across NSW and Victoria, there emerged a fresh crop of mycelium-like symbols, otherwise known as ‘for sale’ signs. Pitched on lawns in front of stud-exposed and newly renovated houses, or on empty blocks of land. These commercial hoardings have become the grim tell-tale signs of Continue reading »
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How will our stretched housing market cope with surging immigration?
Respected ABC commentator Alan Kohler has recently raised this issue in an article provocatively titled Labor’s immigration and housing policies are an explosive combination. Continue reading »
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It is critical that the housing bubble is safely deflated
Stratospheric housing prices are perhaps the most critical domestic issue in Australia. Not only are a collapse of the housing bubble and a recession now threatening, but homelessness and rent stress, unaddressed and exploited, can quickly fester into ugly politics. Continue reading »
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Tenancy rights offer opportunities for change
The threat of being unable to afford to buy a home is now supplanted by the fear of being unable to afford ever increasing rents. Continue reading »
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Housing in the coming federal election
Very largely thanks to economic stimulus pumped into the economy to ward off COVID recession, Australia’s housing is now 30% more expensive than in 2019. Continue reading »
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Monthly digest on housing affordability and homelessness
The latest monthly digest of articles, research reports, policy announcements and other material about housing stress/affordability and homelessness. Continue reading »
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Zoned out: how land use restrictions divide the nation
Housing policies ensure continual wealth gains for current home owners while leaving renters and potential buyers locked out of the market. Continue reading »
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Monthly digest on housing affordability and homelessness
This is the latest monthly digest of articles, research reports, policy announcements and other material about housing stress/affordability and homelessness. Continue reading »
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Monthly digest on housing affordability and homelessness
This is the latest monthly digest of articles, research reports, policy announcements and other material about housing stress/affordability and homelessness. Continue reading »
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Home truths: the housing emergency must shift Australian politics
The failures of Australia’s fragmented and ineffective housing policy are accumulating — governments should take heed or pay a political cost. Continue reading »
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Housing should be for use value, not exchange value
Housing policies should reflect the sort of society we want to live in, not the quest for wealth accumulation.A home is not a commodity. Continue reading »
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Unprecedented land price increase provokes division across society.
As our federal politicians look the other way whilst housing prices continue to escalate, a national record reminds why this issue won’t go away. Continue reading »
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Monthly digest on housing affordability and homelessness
This is the latest monthly digest of articles, research reports, policy announcements and other material about housing stress/affordability and homelessness. Continue reading »
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Housing policy is a failure for young and old
Blaming Baby Boomers for the housing crisis is a diversion. What we need is a complete rethink of our housing supply. Continue reading »
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Monthly digest on housing affordability and homelessness – Aug/Sept 2021
The following is the latest instalment of a monthly digest of interesting articles, research reports, policy announcements and other material relevant to housing stress/affordability and homelessness — with hypertext links to the relevant source. Continue reading »
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Monthly digest on housing affordability and homelessness – July/Aug 2021
The following is the latest instalment of a monthly digest of interesting articles, research reports, policy announcements and other material relevant to housing stress/affordability and homelessness – with hypertext links to the relevant source. Continue reading »
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Boasting about budget expenditure numbers does not make for a housing policy
The Federal Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Michael Sukkar, is fond of quoting large numbers when quizzed on what his government is doing to address Australia’s enduring housing crisis. So, we hear for instance that annual Federal spending on housing and homelessness programs has reached over $8b and that his government is exceeding Labor’s spend Continue reading »
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The face of homelessness in Australia is changing
As house prices soar and wages stagnate, the housing affordability crisis is creeping towards middle Australia. Governments have left housing to the market and the market has failed. Continue reading »
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Monthly digest on housing affordability and homelessness: June/July 2021
The following is the latest instalment of a monthly digest of interesting articles, research reports, policy announcements and other material relevant to housing stress/affordability and homelessness – with hypertext links to the relevant source. Continue reading »
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Monthly digest on housing affordability and homelessness ; May/June 2021
The following is the latest instalment of a monthly digest of interesting articles, research reports, policy announcements and other material relevant to housing stress/affordability and homelessness – with hypertext links to the relevant source. Continue reading »
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Australia’s high house prices damage economic productivity, financial stability and equity
Recent discussion has highlighted how rising house prices are rationing growing numbers of younger Australians into rental housing and lifestyle choices falling short of aspirations. Now there are warnings that future falling homeownership rates across most age cohorts could hit the NSW Government’s budget balance. Continue reading »
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Housing politics dominated by the interests of the already-housed
The housing market is not effectively closed to most young women and men by accident. House prices keep growing not so much by excess demand but because of the rewards we give investor buyers, the advantages in place for those already in the market and the tax and other advantages of owning a house, whether Continue reading »
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Old Canberra a model of cheap land and government housing
Canberra was once in a position to show how ordinary working Australians could get into the housing market at a fair price. That fair price, in today’s terms, was about a third of current prices. Continue reading »
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Monthly digest on housing affordability and homelessness: April/May 2021
The following is the latest instalment of a monthly digest of interesting articles, research reports, policy announcements and other material relevant to housing stress/affordability and homelessness. Continue reading »
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Housing and the 2021 Budget
The 2021 Budget provided little encouragement for Australians in housing needs but provided the predictable range of homeownership programs that will help pump up demand and prices. Continue reading »
