Grattan Institute

All Australians are spending more of their incomes on housing, but worsening affordability is hurting low-income earners the most. Almost half of low-income Australians in the private rental market suffer rental stress. It’s probably no coincidence that homelessness is rising. There is a powerful case for additional government support to help Australia’s most disadvantaged cope with high housing costs. Housing First policies have halved homelessness in countries like Finland. But not all policies are equally effective. So what should the Queensland State government and the Federal Government do to tackle these challenges? How should they target programs: should they focus just on social housing for those right at the bottom, or should they fund affordable housing for “key workers” in the inner city? How should additional support be delivered: as government funded development; as subsidies for developers; by imposing planning conditions for new developments; or as rent assistance directly into the bank accoun