Australia’s leading experts on housing are worried that Australia’s high levels of immigration are hurting housing affordability and making homeownership unobtainable.
According to the latest Urbis City Leaders Survey, nine in ten city leaders identified housing affordability and access as the biggest challenge facing Australian cities over the next two years, overtaking economic growth as the top concern from previous surveys.
The survey revealed that almost two-thirds of city leaders view rising housing costs outpacing wage growth as the primary housing challenge, with particular concern in major cities.
As overseas migration has surged to record levels, rapid population growth and rising interest rates have added to persistent housing supply issues.
James Tuma, Managing Partner at Urbis said housing costs are growing too fast.
“Whether Australians own or rent their home, evidence suggests that a lack of suitable housing is affecting all aspects of the housing continuum and Australian society,” Mr Tuma said.
The experts identified Australia’s rapidly expanding population as a key issue that is making housing unobtainable.
Jen Williams, CEO of Committee for Brisbane said that housing is now the main political issue in the country.
“Housing has finally taken centre stage, and the public narrative is shifting,” Ms Williams said.
“There’s less community resistance to densification, leading to changes in policy settings that should have been addressed a decade ago.”
The survey found increasing housing density in inner and middle urban areas as the top priority by one-third of city leaders, for addressing supply constraints.
City leaders are calling for improved planning processes and reduced property-related taxes, with private sector leaders viewing these actions as twice as important as their public sector counterparts.
Mark Dawson, Director at Urbis said tackling the crisis will require all policymakers to work together.
“A future-fit housing system requires collaboration today,” Mr Dawson said.
“There is no single owner and no one-size-fits-all solution.
“Success will come to those who identify the part they can play and the partners they need.”
Nathan Stribley, Director at Urbis, said that using systems thinking in planning helps look at how different parts, like roads, community needs, and the environment, all connect and work together.
“This approach promotes integrated solutions that balance growth with environmental stewardship and social equity, fostering long-term resilience and prosperity for diverse communities across Australia’s cities,” Mr Stribley said.
