Housing crisis leads Australians to demand better with proposed community reforms

A hundred renters and homeowners have come together with housing experts in Sydney as part of Amplify’s housing deliberation to propose key changes to Australia’s housing conundrum.

Amplify chief executive Georgina Harrisson with founder and chair Paul Bassat. Picture: Supplied.

Australians have demanded major action on housing, with calls to increase the priority of more homes and faster builds, following the launch of independent community organisation Amplify’s housing deliberation last weekend.

The company’s first “National Housing Amplification” in Sydney, headed by chief executive Georgina Harrisson and founder Paul Bassat, brought together members of the public to deliberate on housing solutions and settle on reforms to propose to government.

Reflecting the community views were a hundred Australians randomly selected across various ages, states, genders and housing tenure types, who deliberated with housing professionals to decide on the importance of a shortlist of 13 housing reforms.

Participants concluded the strongest reforms that directly address their – and Australia’s – housing priorities, included “fab pre-fab” construction designs to build more homes, “renters’ rights” granting protections for renters, and “target 10 per cent,” a push to increase the proportion of social housing by 2045.

They also concluded the three top drivers of the housing crisis were the high cost of land and construction, lack of investment in public and affordable housing, and excessive regulation.

“This is the worst housing crisis in recent history and we urgently need to see critical action. These reforms cover a wide range of areas that will stimulate supply from cutting edge construction methods to making the most of transport links to create more commuter communities,” Ms Harrisson said.

The proposals will form the basis of a community campaign to take to decision-makers on housing.

“The Australian public has made its stance clear – now it’s up to the politicians. The path to a solution that aligns with public sentiment is evident,” Ms Harrisson said.

One of the 100 participants was Sydney software engineer Jacob Reed, who with his partner was searching for more than two months in 2023 for a rental. After a dozen applications they secured a one-bedroom apartment in Dulwich Hill.

The 24-year-old lived with his parents in Campbelltown before landing the $490-a-week property to be closer to the city for work, but said owning his own home any time soon isn’t a feasible option.

Sydney-based software engineer and renter Jacob Reed says he would like to buy a home, but the reality isn't feasible. Picture: Supplied.

“With prices as they are, if I wanted to buy the same place, I’ll be saving for at least three or four more years before I even touch a deposit,” he said.

Mr Reed, who earns around $80,000 annually and has worked full-time since he was 18, while finishing university, said by the end of 2023 he was still being rejected by the bank for a loan on a small studio apartment, and would be advocating for change.

“It just feels like you’ve got to save for years and years and years to even get a chance at it. And then you might get knocked back anyway – the interest rates might come up and you’re still stuffed,” he said.

“For the average or standard income, you’re either going to get a mortgage and you’re going to live pay cheque to pay cheque, or you just cop it and rent, save for longer and just hope.”

Asked about the recent interest rate cut, Mr Reed said it may mainly help existing homeowners, not those looking to break into the market.

“I believe that if I went to a bank today compared to last week, I still probably wouldn’t qualify,” he said.

“This is kind of the bigger story, and why there is such a problem – I think that a large majority of it is investment. We’ve incentivised investment so much into the property sector, it’s crazy.

“You’ve got negative gearing, you’ve got tax rebates – there’s so much incentive to put money into a property and just sit on it, even to the extent of stuff like Airbnb … there’s so much incentive to use housing as a money-maker rather than as actual housing.”

Mr Reed believes cuts to negative gearing may be the only way to put off investors and reduce tax offsets, leading the government to have more cash to invest in housing subsidies and infrastructure, otherwise the same cycle will continue.

“We dropped interest rates, fantastic, a couple more people will be able to afford a mortgage and get into housing,” he said. “But I guarantee investors are not going to drop their rent, if anything they’ll increase rent again next year. That’s ‘how the market goes’.”