Empty homes rate in Australia almost the same as 1986, new report finds

A REPORT has refuted claims young people are being denied access to empty homes, finding there are almost as many unoccupied homes in Australia now as 30 years ago.

THE level of unoccupied homes in Australia has barely changed in 30 years, a new report has found, refuting claims that young people were being denied access to empty homes.

Analysis of census data by SGS Economics and Planning showed that although 11.2 per cent of homes on Census night last August were empty, the figure is only 0.5 percentage points high than in 2011. And the 1986 rate was 10.3 per cent.

“There does not appear to be a large pool of dwellings being withheld from the housing market,” SGS economist Terry Rawnsley said.

A dwelling may have been unoccupied on Census night for one of many reasons — newly built but not occupied, for sale, undergoing renovations or demolition, or a deceased estate, he said.

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“It may also have been a short-term or long-term rental property or a holiday home or the dwelling was simply unoccupied due to the residents being away.”

Rates of unoccupied dwellings were higher in holiday destinations such as Mornington Peninsula and the Surf Coast.

The Latrobe Valley also had high numbers of empty homes because of a decline in industry leading to fewer residents.

Australia has a housing shortage problem.

“With the 2016 Census being broadly in line with historical levels we can’t blame investors intentionally leaving homes vacant or the rise of Airbnb,” Mr Rawnsley said.

The research comes in response to figures that showed that Australia had 200,000 more empty homes than a decade ago and that it was compromising the shortage of housing.

Last week University of New South Wales urban policy expert Hal Pawson described the number of homes sitting empty as “cruel and immoral” and said the government needed to act.

Central Melbourne’s unoccupied homes rate of 11.1 per cent was close to the national average, with many dwellings vacant because of a large supply on new apartments coming on to the market in August.

In suburban Melbourne zones, the rate varied between 6.6 and 9.1 per cent.

@IanRoyall

Originally published as Empty homes rate in Australia almost the same as 1986, new report finds