Australia’s Housing Crisis
Everyone needs a roof over their head. No one should have to sleep rough in Australia.
Public housing is always going to be needed. Many people are not equipped or happen to be in a locality where housing costs are prohibitively expensive. It is really unfortunate as these people often never have the opportunity to be independent and develop a capital base for themselves.
In many country areas the cost of land can be minimal . For example where we live land is plentiful. However having said this, housing hasn’t taken off as a way for people on a budget to get a house for themselves.
Some time ago I proposed a mechanism whereby housing could be made more affordable for people living in rural communities. The initial reaction of our council was favorable however somewhere along the way Council became cautious or reluctant to step off into the unknown. Taking the initiative even on a trial basis is not something that Council’s are likely to participate in. So many things like this really rely on someone else doing it first ( whether it be bike trails, walking tracks or anything.)
I grew up in a outer suburb of Sydney. Many people had to build a home for their families. It was not uncommon and as such people soon had a home. (the movie “There a Weird Mob” encapsulates this theme). Often people worked together and maybe built in stages. It is not overly difficult to comprehend how people built their own security without being overly indebted to anyone. Somewhere along the way to the present time the situation about housing has completely changed. To the point now that it is regarded as almost madness to go it alone and this is not helped by the regulatory madness that surrounds the building process. Strange as it may seem we are quite prepared to look at people living in shelters or worse rather than giving them a chance to do something for themselves.
My proposal hasn’t really changed. But the mindset of our controllers must change. Ways have to be trialled which give younger people a proper place in our society. I am from that older generation. Yes you could say we have seen it all. We know what is right and so on. But that’s not the way the world works. Experimentation has risks but making real housing opportunities in my opinion is a risk worth taking.