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Whether you rent or own a home – it should be your choice.

We must solve the housing crisis

The housing crisis is the number one specific election issue that voters expect to be solved this election.

We are not building enough homes in Australia to give people the choice to either own or rent a home or have access to emergency accommodation.

This lack of housing supply is leading to rising rents, homelessness, and higher mortgages, which negatively impacts the well-being of individuals, families, and communities.

What kind of Australia are we building if we can’t even provide adequate housing options for people now?

Independent research by Insightfully found 1 in 4 say housing is the most important issue for them and 7 in 10 Australians say the Federal Government has not done enough.

Send a letter to your local MP and political candidates to find out what their plans are to solve the housing crisis.

You can choose from a range of topics via the dropdown menu and the letter is tailored to reflect the issue you most care about.

TELL YOUR MP AND LOCAL CANDIDATES HOW YOU FEEL.

Add your name and ask the government to ensure we can continue building a better future for all Australians.

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Check out what measures will fix the housing crisis

Master Builders Australia’s election platform lays out a clear guide on federal policies that will alleviate the housing crisis and warns against policies that will make it worse.

The Federal Government wants to build 1.2 million homes over the next five years but we will not meet this goal unless urgent action is taken to reduce unneccessary cost and time delays.

The building and construction industry is central to ensure there’s more homes for Aussies but until political parties step up and put their words into action we will continue to be hamstrung.

Challenges include tradie shortages, high material costs, planning system delays, draconian industrial relations laws and other regulatory hurdles that do nothing to improve building quality or safety.

These challenges have resulted in delayed projects, increased construction costs, and reduced productivity.

Simply put, it’s too expensive and takes too long to build in Australia.

Housing is not a political football to be passed around from local, state and federal governments. It requires a coordinated approach with the Federal Government leading the way.

70% of Australians believe the Federal Government is the most responsible to solve the housing crisis, and we agree.

Sign our petition to call on the next Federal Government to play their part in solving the housing crisis and make sure we bring down inflation, train more tradies, fix damaging industrial relations changes, remove red tape, and help states with planning reforms and building critical infrastructure.

Every $1 million worth of building activity supports around $3 million in activity across the economy. This multiplier effect is vital to keep our economy strong and avoid falling into a recession.

However, high inflation and interest rates erode these efforts and hamstring the industry’s ability to deliver on projects.

On top of this, productivity in the building and construction industry has been in reverse, with labour productivity declining by 18 per cent over the past decade.

This matters because deteriorating productivity slows down project delivery and increases overall costs. In housing alone, the average cost of building a home has increased by 40 per cent since 2019.

Inflation must be controlled and the next Federal Government must commence a productivity-boosted agenda.

Credit:hapabapa

We need around 130,000 people to join the workforce over the next year, this is in addition to the new workers already needed to replace those who leave.

The building and construction industry is plagued by chronic and critical workforce shortages. Demand is far outpacing capacity to build, and the industry stands at the precipice of crisis.

Workforce shortages need to be fixed. Attracting the next generation of apprentices is critical and ensure TAFE and not-for-profit RTOs are financially supported. If they are not, then the strain on the industry, the economy, and people all around the country will tighten. While the industry is the largest it has ever been it is still not big enough.

Skilled migrants represent a vital part of the building and construction industry workforce. Around a quarter of all workers in the industry were born overseas. While bringing more apprentices to the industry, providing them with high quality training, education, on the job experience and support remains a priority for the building and construction industry, it is clear our ability to train more apprentices domestically cannot keep up with demand.

4 in 5 Aussies said it’s too difficult to buy or rent a property in Australia.

If you want to buy a home or live in private rental, it should be your choice, and social or community housing should be available if in need. A lack of housing supply due to government policy failures means Australians feel trapped or are struggling to meet rent.

The next Federal Government must support institutional investment in the social and community housing sector, and with build-to-rent.

High business taxation levels impede activity in the industry and prevent it from reaching its full potential. This results in new buildings and infrastructure carrying a heavier price tag than they should. Housing affordability is one of the areas which suffers most as a result. A lower tax burden would reduce the cost of doing business in the industry and help drive real improvements in Australian living standards.

Changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax arrangements on investment properties is an issue that reappears from time to time as a quick fix solution to put downward pressure on house prices. Economic modelling shows that changes to negative gearing or capital gains tax arrangements lead to a drop in new housing supply. When the country is facing a chronic shortage of housing supply, it makes no sense to change these tax arrangements.

Critical infrastructure is essential to ending the housing crisis because it supports the development, accessibility and sustainability of new housing projects. One of the key barriers to building enough houses for Australians across the country is access to roads, water supply, sewerage, electricity and telecommunications in new communities. We cannot build homes until that infrastructure is in place.

Targeted infrastructure like roads, rail, hospitals and school keeps us out of traffic jams, ensures we are better connected, allows us to be healthier, raises our education levels and it makes our cities more productive. It also helps create a strong building industry and a strong economy, creating job and training opportunities for more Australians.

We need to ensure infrastructure is adequately funded to support growing communities and stop housing construction delays.

In housing alone, the average cost of building a home has increased by 40 per cent since 2019.

The building and construction industry is comprised of a large number of small businesses. This structure brings with it great flexibility, and a sense of connection with communities around the country, however, small-scaled businesses are also vulnerable in different ways.

The lack of ancillary support means that paperwork, regulation, and administrative obligations can be a huge source of stress for the people running these businesses. Amidst increasing materials costs, labour shortages, rising interest rates, disruptions and delays, the industry faces new challenges every day. These conditions have seen a significant increase in insolvencies and business shutdowns.

The next Federal Government must make it easier for small business by ensuring policies are sensible, practical and clear, and not have unintended costs and compliance burdens.

How is the current housing crisis affecting you?

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"it's pushing up the rent of the investment unit I own, and associated costs"

Anonymous

"I’m on a disability pension, I share house and my daughter (my carer) lives in her car months and months Of searching, everything is either unaffordable, disgusting, unsafe, not fit for human habitation."

Anonymous

"My rent is sky-rocketing to an un manageable level "

Susan

"I am currently unemployed. My Centrelink payment covers my rent of $940 a f/n with nothing left. I have to rely on family. I’ve had to relocate and live in a place I hate because it’s the only one I could afford. $470 a week is so high for the condition of this place, it’s depressing. "

Angela

"Currently homeless, and the nightmare of assistance with that is extremely distressing. Being treated poorly by organisations and government agencies is a disgrace "

Anonymous

"Immigration needs to be halted for 5 years to let housing , doctors, hospitals ect time to catch up - too many coming in every year - Aussies can’t get a look in "

Anonymous

"We have had to move 4x in the last 4 years . Each time because the land lord wants to increase the rent amount of decides to suddenly sell . We have to compete with 50 families turning up for each open house . Then while we are trying to save for a deposit to buy a house ,paying over 1 mill dollars for a 30 year old rundown 3br house is ludicrous! We need more new homes built asap . What happened to australia being the lucky country ??!! "

peter

"Basically given up."

Anonymous

"My husband and I are retired and have no income apart from our aged pension. We are having to pay $660 weekly to be able to live in a decent home. Cheaper rentals are sub standard or non existent in this area and developers have turned our beautiful area into a concrete jungle for the very wealthy. Homes priced at over a million or two are common but out of the reach of working families. "

Anonymous

"I can’t afford to ever buy a home, because regardless of having a hefty deposit, the houses are far too expensive to purchase. There is no way I’d ever get the loan as a single mother to begin with. Houses should be no more then 500.000 for a three bedroom house. But where I live I’d need 800.000. It’s ridiculous "

BillieAnne

"I cant afford a house or even a flat in Perth. So cant bring my wife from O/S or even kids for a holiday."

keith

"I have been homeless four times in my life. I am financially bankrupt, without work and the ability to find suitable housing. There isn't enough housing anymore and that is due to the increased and uneccessary level of migrant immigration. Our nation cannot cope with it and this government whether it be Liberal, Labor, Nationals, Greens "

Theresa - Martin

"I am homeless. I am homeless even though I have my own business paying 2x rents would is Impossible to pay these rents"

Anonymous

"I have 7 people living in a 2 bedroom unit and we are First Nations people. It’s so unhealthy and sad and we are all full time workers. "

Tracey

"I am a self-employed single Mum with 2 young children, paying $750/week for a standard 4x2 in Ridgewood, where the median rent is $610/week. Despite already paying well above average, when it came time to renegotiate my lease the property manager/owner requested an additional $100/week, taking my weekly rent to $850/week. This is undeniably a result of the current housing crisis, as I feel they are attempting to take advantage of the rental shortage, given that they know I need to keep a roof over my children's heads. At this rate, I have no chance of affording to build my own home as my weekly rent is far too high to have anything left over at the end of the week. Saving for a deposit is impossible! "

Louise

"My 3 children and I have been living in the same house for 5yrs, but after our last inspection, the owners told us we must leave as the lease is not being renewed on January 27th. They want to renovate. I have applied for upwards of 35 rentals in the last 3 wks and have had nothing but rejection after rejection. I am afraid that we will end up homeless because there is too high of a demand on rentals and I feel I am unlikely to be approved for anything at this rate. "

Sigrid

"Being force to move no money for bond or rent can’t afford rent no deposit to own a home Single income but no deposit Going to be homeless "

Dianna

"The house I was renting for 9yrs was sold and I needed another house but there were none available that would allow animals (if I’m paying off your mortgage should you dictate what I can and can’t do?) I ended up finding a house for $500 a week that’s half my pay gone so I’m now living with my youngest son and halving the rent. I feel like I’ve failed as a provider for my children. Shouldn’t the parent help the child. It’s wrong! "

Shevaun

"My son will ne homeless soon due to relationship breakdown. "

Anne

"My husband, myself and two adult daughters share a rental home which is becoming too expensive due to rent increases of over $350 in the past 2 years. We pay enough to cover a mortgage but can’t get to buy due to no savings from paying high rent. We are constantly stressed that we can have our tenancy terminated at any time. The housing shortage means we have to stay together which is sometimes mentally draining on us all. I’m glad we are not homeless but we don’t know for how long that will last. I"

Anonymous

"We are frightened that if they don’t renew our lease in a few months at an affordable rate, my disabled daughter and I will join the homeless also. "

Anonymous

"I'm a single mom with 2 kids 5 and 8 years old. And I am homeless "

Inna

"We can't live in the place where we were born, and we can't live near the coast. We have to sacrifice our lives chasing money in order to attain the two aforementioned expectations. It was the Australian dream to own a home. This is no longer possible within 500km of the coast, particularly in NSW. So, we're all paying dead money to greedy landlords and have nothing to show for it. This financially crippling scenario kills happiness, enjoyment, flourishing children and families, and even the desire to carry on living. We can't have hobbies, we can't go out, and we can't go on road trips. We can't see live shows. We literally work, eat, and sleep. Many of us do this more than 5 days a week. Change needs to happen immediately."

Anonymous

"At the moment, we are fine, but, in the beginning, rentals are very rare. Wind farm workers had taken most of the the rentals in Warwick Qld. In Coffs Harbour absolutely ridiculous, that why we moved north, over priced, would never be able to afford own one. "

Tracy-Lee

"We have placed 100 rental applications, we finally have a new rental. There are not enough houses, the cost of rent is the same if not more than home loan repayments. There really needs to be a better way"

Anonymous

"Rents have been driven up to a point where I'm paying $180 more per week than I was 4 years ago. I'm a 50 year old single parent with 50/50 care of my kids and being able to afford a house of my own appears to be an unreachable goal. I don't want my kids to have to go through life renting and paying someone else's mortgage with nothing to show for it. "

Paul R Harvey

"Most likely will be homeless with six months I am a single parent and will never have the chance to buy my own home the rental prices are causes me to not be able to afford the bare essentials let alone having any quality of life "

Anonymous

"I cannot afford to rent or buy. I’m a 43yo single mum with 3 sources of income and I cannot get myself out of debt let alone afford to rent or buy a place big enough for me and the kids. I’m stuck and it feels permanent 🙁 "

Anonymous

"Yes it is too expensive, it takes all my salary and I have children"

Amanda Hurtado Rodriguez

"About to become homeless after 21 years renting same house Nothing affordable for disabled person with family "

Melissa

"I am a single dad with 3 small kids. I am employed full time. I have no where to live. I need to buy a home for my kids future, but nothing at all is affordable, in the whole of Brisbane and surrounding areas. I can afford a 400k loan on my wage and still cant get anything. How am i expected to provide for my family in this ridiculous market? How are my kids when they are older ever buy their own houses? There has to be change"

Mark Matthews

"How does a single father on one income afford upwards of $600 a week in rent on top of all other expenses? Unless I get a second job that takes time away from my family and just gets me taxed extra. "

Anonymous

"The immigration minister has recently removed most of the construction occupations, like carpentry, builders and others occupations for the skilled migration visa, this to damage the housing supply and increase the housing shortage in Australia. Applying for TSS visa is a night mere for migrants, time costs and delays and complex process."

Imad - OTR

"We have been building contract homes for the last 25 years and never seen this industry facing so many challenges. Town planning and government red tape needs to be fixed. The last thing we need is more changes, "

Brent - Power

"The government compliances are getting out of hand and costing the building industry a fortune. Most builders and readies are fair and honest. We are treated like the majority are crooks. "

Chris Briggs - CM Briggs Builder Pty Ltd

"The Building sector is suffering at the moment due to the lack of communication, we are asking the government to communicate their future plans to people to provide us with a sense of confidence that has been lacking in the recent years. "

Saifan - S

"Council need to stop over emphasising on small/minor things and stamp those structurally safe plans! "

Anonymous

"Our enquire level is very small it has come to a standstill waiting months for jobs to come out of council . One job last week will take minimum of 8 months in town planning (why?) We have work in council but so many holdups"

Julie carroll - Jj carroll buildrers

"The NSW Building Portal has increased DA/CC costs, is a slow "

Colin Jewell - Jewell Builders Pty Ltd

"So many hoops to jump through when building. Too many fees, charges and taxes have pushed up the price to build a new home. We need to cut red tape to cut costs and speed up the process before we have tent cities across the nation. "

Anonymous

"To complete the house we need builders not accountants!"

Naresh Malhotra - Marigold

"It shouldn't take as long as it does to build a home! We need to speed it up."

Matt

"We need more affordable housing."

Anonymous

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Event: Interview with Prue Bentley, ABC VIC Statewide Date: 17 March 2025, 4:55pm AEDT Speakers: Denita Wawn, CEO Master Builders Australia Topics: CFMEU; Breaking…

Event: Interview with Tim Gilbert, Sky News Date: 15 March 2025, 8:10am AEDT Speakers: Denita Wawn, CEO Master Builders Australia Topics: Housing crisis; Federal…

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