Breaking the gridlock on Housing - Aug 2023

When I ask constituents which issues concern them the most, housing access and affordability often comes out on top, along with climate change. 

In Curtin, about a third of Curtin residents own their houses, a third have a mortgage and a third rent.   

It feels like everyone is concerned about housing affordability, if not for themselves, then for their children and grandchildren.   

I had an email this week from a constituent who is finding it impossible to secure accommodation for her daughter and young family who urgently need to relocate back to Perth.  Recently a 25 year old wrote to me saying that she can’t imagine ever being able to buy her own home. 

We build less housing than we used to (especially public housing) so houses cost more and are harder to find. 

• In the 1960s, we approved about 60 new buildings each month per 100,000 Australians.  It’s now about 40.   

• In the 1980s, we built 14 public housing dwellings for every 100 private dwellings.  Now it’s 1.7 per 100.   

• When I bought my first house, the average price of a home was 3.3x the average income. It is now 10x.   

• Rental vacancies in Perth are still under 1%, significantly lower than the norm of 2.5-3.5%.    

But what can be done? It took decades of policy decisions at all levels of government to get us here.   

There are groups with legitimate (and sometimes directly conflicting) interests – owners, hopeful buyers, renters and investors.   

But the fact remains that hard-working young Australians should have a realistic shot at owning a home one day.   

In the short-term, we need to find ways to increase the occupancy of the 10% of houses that sit empty.  

In the longer-term, we need to address difficult structural issues at all levels of government.   

Along with the crossbench, I have been advocating for a Citizens’ Assembly on Housing Affordability, which would bring together a mix of 100 ordinary Australians for 6 weekends to dive deep into the housing issues and find innovative solutions that the major parties won’t suggest. 

In the coming months, I will hold a series of housing forums in Curtin, to identify what we care about in relation to housing and generate some ideas for solutions. 

Related article: CURTIN HOUSING FORUMS - OUTCOMES