| This Saturday Australians go to the polls to elect | | | | according to its spokesman Gary Humphries, |
| a new Federal Government. However, whereas | | | | 'there isn't likely to be a great deal of |
| the pre-election debate in 2007 included policies to | | | | reorganisation, as in wholesale ousting of |
| increase housing supply and affordability, there has | | | | programmes. There will certainly be a refocusing |
| been scant focus on housing in 2010 by either | | | | of some of them, but the changes won't be |
| Gillard or Abbott, something quite remarkable | | | | massive.' |
| considering community concern about the cost of | | | | Julia Gillard's initiative to help councils clear the way |
| living. | | | | for development with a $200 million regional |
| While the Kevin 07 election message was about | | | | building fund looks like a step in the right direction, |
| sympathy for family mortgage or rental | | | | however the money is simply being shifted from |
| payments, and policies aimed at increasing supply, | | | | the rental affordability scheme. |
| house prices and rents have simply increased | | | | What's entirely absent from the 2010 election |
| throughout the current Government's term. | | | | debate is what First National Real Estate and |
| The doubling of the first home-buyers' grant to | | | | many industry lobby groups have called for - the |
| $14,000 helped 250,000 households and individuals | | | | need to reform planning laws to help private |
| into the housing market. However, it pushed up | | | | developers increase housing stock. |
| prices and average first home loans also increased | | | | The Housing Industry Association (HIA) held a |
| from $230,000 to $290,000. So, many households | | | | one-day summit in Sydney last week, the |
| now have increased debt burdens with 11 per | | | | outcome being statements that the supply of |
| cent of income now going on interest bills. While | | | | new housing was being negatively affected by |
| this may be down from 14 per cent before the | | | | inequitable infrastructure funding models. It |
| GFC, it's actually double that of a decade ago. | | | | believes the lack of planning and approval |
| Renters remain 'stressed' with almost 170,000 | | | | coordination and the requirement for developers |
| lower-income households paying more than half | | | | to fund community infrastructure to win approval |
| their income in rent. | | | | makes the cost of development unaffordable. |
| Labor's National Rental Affordability scheme has | | | | Gary Humphries admits that local and state |
| run at a slower pace than anticipated with | | | | governments have been a key part of the |
| investors complaining about an excessively | | | | problem with supply and intimates that the |
| bureaucratic approval process. Superannuation | | | | opposition would offer policies to remove the |
| funds have also given the scheme a wide berth. | | | | stumbling blocks. Detail, however, is lacking. |
| The commitment to build 20,000 affordable | | | | Meanwhile, the current government has |
| homes has similarly faltered, with new | | | | commenced an inquiry into local and state planning |
| construction of low-income apartments being | | | | laws through the Council of Australian |
| stymied by 'not in my back yard' community | | | | Governments (COAG). |
| groups. Accusations have been made that the | | | | Either way, neither major party appears to offer |
| scheme undermines the ability of local | | | | new policies related to supply and affordability |
| Governments to create and plan decent | | | | with Labor offering yet another 'review' and |
| communities because of poor design and lack of | | | | Liberal, a suggested but yet to be announced |
| parking. | | | | policy to remove obstacles to development. |
| The opposition has not released its policy but | | | | |