ONE in three Australians are skipping meals in a bid to cope with escalating housing costs, according to more than 1,500 survey submissions to a “People Commission into the Housing Crisis” that began in Sydney yesterday.
The People’s Commission, convened by Everybody’s Home and its supporters is being held at Sydney University and concludes today, aiming to provide an opportunity for individuals with lived experiences of homelessness and housing stress to share their stories, insights and ideas for solutions with decision-makers and the broader community.
Dozens of individuals and organisations – including Housing Minister Julie Collins – made submissions, which can be viewed online.
Nearly three in five (58%) of all respondents are in housing stress, and more than three in four (76%) of those who rent are in housing stress.
The survey results showed the top ways respondents are coping with housing costs are by reducing energy use like heating or cooling their homes (52%), avoiding the doctor and essential appointments (45%), and reducing vehicle use (39%).
One in three are skipping meals (32%), or relying on credit cards or buy now pay later (31%).
Uncertainty about the future (67%) and increased housing costs (61%) are the top reasons for concern about the housing crisis.
“Submissions to the People’s Commission into the Housing Crisis reveal the human cost of decades of failed policy. Distressed Australians have told us of their harrowing experiences battling an unaffordable housing system and their ideas to fix it. Governments, academics, economists and organisations that, on a daily basis deal with the fall out of the failed housing system have advised of their views and actions,” said commissioner and former Labor Senator for NSW, Doug Cameron.
“Australians want and need solutions that work.”
Rental vacancies continue to hover at around just 1% amid a crushing mismatch between supply and demand, forcing up rents at their fastest rate in 17 years. CoreLogic data on advertised rents suggest that rents will keep rising by 10% per annum throughout this year. Record house prices are shutting out a growing cohort of the market.
The government is readying itself for the beginning of the National Housing Accord, which will aim boosting supply with 1.2 million new “well-located homes” delivered over five years from 1st July. However, a broad-ranging report tabled by the Albanese government’s own National Housing Supply and Affordability Council this month said national cabinet will miss the National Housing Accord target of delivering 1.2 million new homes by 2029. The target has been considered farfetched by analysts amid severe labour shortages, as well as current low approval rates and planning red tape.
Running concurrently with the program will be the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, which aims to deliver 20,000 social homes and 10,000 affordable homes, and the National Housing Accord Facility which will aim to deliver another 10,000 affordable homes.
The Social Housing Accelerator has already kicked off, looking to deliver 4,000 social homes.
Everybody’s Home spokesperson Maiy Azize said the housing crisis is engulfing people from every part of society.
“Moving back in with their parents or children, being priced out of their communities, and abandoning the prospect of marriage and kids are just some of the impacts we’re hearing about.”
Commissioner and University of Sydney housing expert Professor Nicole Gurran said, “For too long Australia’s housing policy paralysis has been sustained by dominant interests and ill-designed ‘solutions’ which have served only to maintain the status quo.”
Property Council of Australia chief executive Mike Zorbas used his address to the National Press Club in March to slam “broken state planning systems” and government taxes for the severe supply shortage, while his opposition on the day, Greens Spokesperson for Housing and Homelessness, Max Chandler-Mather, proposed that $28 billion plan for a public developer would compete with “profit-hungry” private developers and deliver hundreds of thousands of new homes.
