Housing


Why we need healthy housing policy

Housing stress is in the headlines as a result of a new report from The National Housing Supply Council. It coincides with further new research about the need to link health and housing policy, writes Caroline Chen.

Housing report shines light on undersupply crisis in NSW

The National Housing Supply Council has produced extensive data on the nature of our housing undersupply. And the big problem is in NSW.

Another day, another set of disastrous building figures

Housing commencements are now in freefall, with long-term consequences for our housing supply.

As RBA mulls interest rates, housing decline is accelerating

Another rate rise might accelerate a decline in construction activity that shows no sign of slowing down.

Participation and mobility dominate Tax Forum paper

Wayne Swan has released the government discussion paper for its Tax Forum in October.

Regurgitating rubbish facts on carbon price effects

It isn’t just dodgy industry claims about the carbon price that circulate through the media.

Hockey’s budget reply fails to grease the gallery wheels

Yesterday Joe Hockey made electoral bribery a key component of the Coalition’s response to the mining boom. Eeconomic debate in Australia reached its lowest point in 30 years yesterday when he addressed the Press Club.

Our dangerous debt affair

Is our economic future at risk as a result of the huge debts we’ve accumulated to indulge our love affair with housing?

No longer safe as houses

The US housing market is recovering post-GFC, but property will never be the guaranteed money maker it once was, warns experts.

Labor’s population 
obsession

While Labor desperately appeals to the redneck vote on population, it is heading in the right direction on housing infrastructure because there’s a chance it might actually produce quality policy.

The Big Bank recalcitrance behind lower housing investment forecasts

Yesterday’s forecasts from Treasury spelt bad news for housing investment. The peak in housing approvals last year doesn’t appear to be translating into bricks and mortar.

Residential housing market losing its froth

While the federal government does its best to quell the booming mining sector, the other boom area, residential housing, appears to be finally losing its froth.

NSW Budget shock

NSW has long been the epicentre of Australia’s growing crisis of housing undersupply. Belatedly, the NSW Government has produced some sensible policies to redirected demand and stimulate supply.

The not-so-good news: housing costs continue to rise

The first of the crude “median” house price data has started coming through and it is sprightly to say the least, according to Christopher Joye. But it’s not necessarily great news for policy makers.

Rentals: what the (land)lord giveth, the (land)lord taketh away

While the real estate industry and its dependents continue to trump residential property as an investment, many Australians are becoming increasingly frustrated with a growing lack of affordability of capital city housing.

Housing: another bloody review

COAG announced its “reform agenda” for addressing housing supply this week. It has a familiar ring to it.

Why medium density housing is a health issue

The ever increasing urban sprawl and private car based travel is causing enormous health, social, environmental and economic costs, says Victoria Walks’ Ben Rossiter. But can the public be convinced that more urban housing doesn’t necessarily mean more concrete?

Are our leaders up to solving our housing problems?

Fixing our housing shortage is a complex policy challenge, made even harder because of the need for co-operation between governments and the dominance of vested interests. It’s not clear our politicians are up to it.

Government has lost control of the asylum seeker debate — but can the Coalition profit from it?

Most people — 65% in fact — think the Government is too soft on asylum seekers, according to Essential Research’s latest poll. But that doesn’t mean they trust the Coalition.

The growing debate on Australia’s growth

Daily media wrap: As Crikey’s focus on population growth continues, we take look at what the commentariat has been saying this week about Australia becoming a wider, browner land.

Foreigners and housing: a sense of scale

Foreign investors are actually only a very small slice of Australia’s housing market. So why are we blaming the Chinese for our own housing supply problems?

Sinophobia and the property boom

Chinese investment in Australian residential property is starting to generate heat for the Government. But things aren’t as simple as the critics make out.

Housing — the real arena for federal takeover

While health gets all the attention, housing policy is a critical Commonwealth-state issue that we must get right in the face of a growing population.

Golf courses just waiting for residential development

Christopher Joye tees off with a novel approach to possible new housing venues. Why not convert public golfcourses into public parkland and use a section of the park for housing?

Gittins: Poor little Aussies with their beach house and 3 car garage

We’re spending all our money on building new huge houses or doing fancy renovations. So quit whinging about your mortgage and the government raising interest rates and go count the bathrooms in your holiday house, says Ross Gittins.