Housing Australia

The great Australian dream of owning your own home has prevailed for more than half a century but with surging house prices in some parts of Australia, there has been much debate about whether it will continue.

Historically low interest rates, an unprecedented period of continuous economic growth and strong levels of migration have contributed to increasing demand and escalating housing prices in Australia’s capital cities.

This policy perspective will examine:

• Housing trends in Australia;
• The experience of Australia’s housing sector compared with other countries in the OECD;
• Supply of housing: from land availability to changes in the composition of housing stock;
• Drivers of demand and possible policy levers; and
• The intergenerational consequences of high housing costs and falling home ownership. 

Chapters and authors

CEDA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, OVERVIEW AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

Dr Judith Yates, Associate Professor in the School of Economics, University of Sydney

IS THE CURRENT PERIOD OF PRICE MOVEMENTS UNUSUAL?

Dr Nigel Stapledon, Real Estate Research Fellow, Centre for Applied Economic Research, UNSW 

THE SUPPLY OF HOUSING

Professor Chris Leishman, Director, Centre for Housing, Urban and Regional Planning, University of Adelaide

THE DEMAND FOR HOUSING

Associate Professor Emma Baker, ARC Future Fellow, School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Adelaide 

INTERGENERATIONAL CONSEQUENCES

Professor Rachel Ong, Deputy Director, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, Curtin University 

THE IMPACT OF TAX REGULATION ON HOUSING

Associate Professor David Morrison, School of Law, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, The University of Queensland 

CASE STUDY: MIXED USE URBAN PROJECTS

Gavin Tonnet, National Head Apartments Mixed Use & General Manager Residential, Stockland 

Learn more 

Where the responsibility for housing affordability lies | Melbourne report launch event summary
How governments have widened the gap between generations in home ownership | CEDA blog