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Australian local governments and affordable housing: Challenges and possibilities

Author

Listed:
  • Alan Morris

    (University of Technology Sydney, Australia)

  • Andrew Beer

    (University of South Australia, Australia)

  • John Martin

    (La Trobe University, Australia)

  • Sandy Horne

    (University of South Australia, Australia)

  • Catherine Davis

    (University of Technology Sydney, Australia)

  • Trevor Budge

    (La Trobe University, Australia)

  • Chris Paris

    (Ulster University, UK)

Abstract

For an increasing proportion of Australian households, the Australian dream of home ownership is no longer an option. Neoliberal housing policy and the financialisation of housing has resulted in a housing affordability crisis. Historically, Australian housing policy has afforded only a limited role to local government. This article analyses the results of a nation-wide survey of Australian local governments’ perceptions of housing affordability in their local government area, the possibilities for their meaningful intervention, the challenges they face, the role of councillors and councils’ perceptions of what levels of government should take responsibility for housing. Almost all of the respondents from Sydney and Melbourne councils were clear that there is a housing affordability crisis in their local government area. We apply a framework analysing housing policy in the context of neoliberalism and the related financialisation of housing in order to analyse the housing affordability crisis in Sydney and Melbourne. We conclude that in order to begin resolving the housing crisis in Australia’s two largest cities there has to be an increasing role for local government, a substantial increase in the building of social and affordable housing and a rollback of policies that encourage residential property speculation. JEL Codes: R31, R21

Suggested Citation

  • Alan Morris & Andrew Beer & John Martin & Sandy Horne & Catherine Davis & Trevor Budge & Chris Paris, 2020. "Australian local governments and affordable housing: Challenges and possibilities," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 31(1), pages 14-33, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecolab:v:31:y:2020:i:1:p:14-33
    DOI: 10.1177/1035304619880135
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Scanlon, Kathleen & Fernández Arrigoitia, Melissa & Whitehead, Christine M E, 2015. "Social housing in Europe," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 62938, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Andrew Beer & Rebecca Bentley & Emma Baker & Kate Mason & Shelley Mallett & Anne Kavanagh & Tony LaMontagne, 2016. "Neoliberalism, economic restructuring and policy change: Precarious housing and precarious employment in Australia," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 53(8), pages 1542-1558, June.
    3. Paul Watt & Anna Minton, 2016. "London's housing crisis and its activisms," City, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 204-221, April.
    4. Gurran, Nicole & Rowley, Steven & Milligan, Vivienne & Randolph, Bill & Phibbs, Peter & Gilbert, Catherine & James, Amity & Troy, Laurence & van den Nouwelant, Ryan & Hayward, Richard Donald, 2018. "Inquiry into increasing affordable housing supply: Evidence-based principles and strategies for Australian policy and practice," SocArXiv mt5vw, Center for Open Science.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Australia; financialisation; homelessness; housing; housing affordability; housing stress; local government; public housing; real estate versus home ownership;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R31 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Housing Supply and Markets
    • R21 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Housing Demand

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