Australians for Affordable Housing (AAH) today called for the Commonwealth Government and new Housing Minister Robert McClelland to make creating more affordable housing a major priority for 2012 in the light of the National Housing Supply Council’s third State of Supply report.
“For the third year in a row this report shows an unacceptable shortfall in the supply of housing in Australia. Behind every shortfall outlined in this report are people and families that will spend Christmas in unaffordable or overcrowded housing or languishing on a public housing waiting list” said AAH Campaign Manager Sarah Toohey.
“Despite what many commentators call an ‘easing’ in housing affordability, the State of Supply report highlights that underlying demand is still strong, and indeed that high housing costs may actually be contributing to lower demand in the housing market as potential buyers are locked out.”
The report outlines a cumulative shortage of 187,000 dwellings across Australia. This is contributing to high rates of housing stress with more than 20% of Australia’s renters and more than 10% of all households in housing stress.
“Creating the National Housing Supply Council is one of the many achievements of this Government, but if the housing supply challenge outlined in this report does not result in Government action, including funding for new affordable housing, then we will continue to see high rates of housing stress and a generation locked out of home ownership. This is simply unacceptable.”
