Housing Affordability
24 August 2004
A Call For Action
Housing affordability in Australia has reached its worst-ever level. In the past 10 years average house prices have doubled relative to income; the proportion of first home buyers has fallen by 30%; average monthly payments on new loans have gone up by about $500; the proportion of low-rent housing has dropped by 15% with opportunities to access public housing declining by 20%.
In response to this crisis, The National Summit on Housing Affordability was convened in Parliament House Canberra in June and hosted by Housing Industry Association (HIA), Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) and the National Housing Alliance (NHA).
Professor Julian Disney, Chair of the Summit, warns:
Refusals to heed warning signs more than a decade ago about housing affordability have already casued severe and possibly irretrievable harm. This damage must not now be aggravated by further denials of reality and lack of political courage. Far-sighted and vigorous action is needed to prevent a poisoned legacy of debt, insecurity and hardship being passed to future generations.
As a result of the Summit, the organizations have jointly released a Call For Action which proposes:
- the appointment of a Cabinet Minister for Housing, Urban and Community Development
- a 5-year National Housing Plan for achieving affordability benchmarks around Australia
- substantial increases in public and private investment in developing low-cost housing
- a national housing tax reform
- a national strategy on regional land and infracture planning for affordable housing
Visit the National Summit on Housing Affordability website for papers presented to the summit, links to host organization and more detailed proposals on the Call For Action.
For further information
August 2004 contents
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