Housing situation likely to deteriorate further, advocacy group warns
As Parliament reconvenes in Canberra, housing advocacy group Everybody’s Home has called on the Albanese government to take decisive steps to address Australia’s ongoing housing crisis.
The group released a report, Out of Reach, highlighting that cities once considered affordable are now experiencing some of the country’s most severe rental pressures. The report notes that rents in capital cities have increased by 57% over the past decade, while social housing now accounts for only about 4% of all homes.
Everybody’s Home warned that without significant government intervention, the housing situation is likely to deteriorate further. It has outlined several recommendations, including the construction of 940,000 new social homes over the next 20 years, the gradual removal of tax incentives for property investors, the introduction of uniform renter protections nationwide, and increased income support for vulnerable Australians.
The call for action comes as the Property Council of Australia warns that the country is falling behind on the National Housing Accord’s target of 1.2 million new homes by 2029. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that only 43,517 new homes were completed nationwide in the March quarter, a 4% drop from the previous quarter. Although housing starts increased by 14% to 47,645, this figure remains well below the quarterly requirement of more than 60,000 homes needed to meet the housing target.
“The government must step up and directly deliver the rentals that are guaranteed to be affordable and meet demand,” said Maiy Azize (pictured right), spokesperson at Everybody’s Home. “If Labor is serious about fixing the housing crisis, it must return to the business of building. This requires a big and long-term commitment to delivering hundreds of thousands of social and affordable housing.
“Labor has the mandate but they won’t have this opportunity forever. This term is their moment to leave a lasting legacy on housing or they can be remembered for letting it slip through their fingers. This is a defining opportunity for the Labor government to show they’re serious about fixing the housing crisis. They must seize this second term to deliver housing policies that will create lasting, generational change.”
Azize added that Australians expect parliament to pursue ambitious reforms that address the scale of the crisis. “Our leaders cannot afford to waste this second chance to deliver lasting, transformative change for millions of Australians,” she said.
“The government mustn’t take for granted the Australians who voted them in with the hope of making housing more affordable. The government can’t ignore the increasing number of Australians who are sleeping on streets and couches, forgoing food and medicine to pay rent, and living in unsafe and makeshift housing.”
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