How about public housing, Minister Pawson?

April 17, 2025

Housing Minister Hal Pawson is certainly ready to get on with the job!

However, I am surprised that his approaches to solving the appalling unavailability of adequate rental housing are all market-based: expanding “Build to Rent” and increasing rent assistance. I’m no economist, but it seems to me that government helping renters to pay excessive private rents is a convoluted way of solving the problem.

I hope such a competent minister will not be afraid to consider public housing as an important element of housing provision. Surely, we have learnt that market mechanisms cannot solve every problem? The Commonwealth could use the National Housing Strategy and a system of tied grants to the states to give the latter no choice but to get on with the job.