No mention of artificial and high population growth (immigration) renders this article unworthy

Reduce demand. Stop mass immigration.

It is easy to point to immigration as the cause of rising house prices in Australia- and thus, ignore the real causes of the problem- unaffordability and the rising land prices in a country with one of the population lowest density levels in the world @ 3 persons/ km2; yet with the same urban rate of 85.9% in 2020 as in 1985. See:https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/australia-population/

The author correctly identifies high [and rising] State Government charges as the main impediment to redressing the problem. This inflates land prices. In a country with an abundance of land, we are one of the most urbanized in the world- in the top 55. And yet, we do nothing to invest in the country towns, which continue to close their doors, with young people drawn to where the jobs are- the cities, where they face high rents and stagnant wages.

The taxation system, with negative gearing and 50% rebate on capital gains is another hurdle for young people to overcome. Migrants are in the same situation, as many are without capital.

The haphazard and short-sighted development of our cities has lead to traffic congestion and misplacement of facilities. Large suburban blocks of land are gradually being subdivided; however, the price of this land raises expectations of capital gains for investors and speculators. We don't seem to have moved very far in our planning since the 1890's when the land bank failures caused considerable financial losses for depositors of the banks at that time.

What is needed is a Federal Government which act in the interests of the people, rather than pander to the land developers and banks; a government that will impose limits on their State counterparts and also regionalize our industries so that the pressure on our cities is lifted and we utilize our assets in a way that melds with our country's land resources.

Cyclone: "What is needed is a Federal Government which act in the interests of the people, rather than pander to the land developers and banks; a government that will impose limits on their State counterparts and also regionalize our industries so that the pressure on our cities is lifted and we utilize our assets in a way that melds with our country's land resources."

So how is the federal government going to do this legally?

Of course the major problem is immigration. You can't generate the need for 200,000 extra homes a year without generating a housing shortage.

The other problem is that migrants all flock to major cities.

I can buy a nice home in Home Hill for example for $250,000, & there is plenty of work opportunities in the district. This is the case on many areas of the country. If people are so stupid that they must live in a major city, when opportunity is begging in many other areas, I can see no reason why the government or anyone else should be required to help them.

In reply to the query regarding the Commonwealth Government's powers to acquire land; the 1904 legislation designed initially for the acquisition of the land for seat of the Federal Parliament- see: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C1904A00007
has been expanded to any land within the Commonwealth- see:https://www.finance.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-12/compulsory-acquisition-of-land-brochure.pdf

The original Act of 1904 mentions the words "on just terms", which is of course, retained in the wording of current legislation.

Read today, investors in Communist China are even more anxious to buy Australian real estate, much of which will be left empty, falling into disrepair, because that’s what Chinese investors do.

I bought my first property in late 70’s at 18% interest on the loan. That was doable then.
In today’s terms, 18% interest on a pretty standard mortgage of $500k would be (correct me if I’m wrong) $90k pa.

Manipulated interest rates are an antithesis to capitalism one would think.
The lie among others from Canberra is the current interest rate manipulation is a minor contributor towards inflation.
That lie would be on a par with the lie of unemployment statistics.

And I don’t swallow the claim that Government charges are a major contributor towards property values. They are simply an inconvenience no more.

I vote for putting politicians against a brick wall, the same wall they build in front of affordable housing.

Dan.
There will be no forthcoming war with China. That war is already won without a shot fired, China is the winner.
The perpetrators of the loss are greedy politicians with property portfolios to protect.
And I suspect the reasoning behind the opposition to a federal ICAC is very close towards protecting the back sides of those in Canberra who make significant profits from inside information on such secret endeavours as future immigration pressures on the domestic housing market, creating by neglect, deliberate housing shortages with upward pressure on prices. A lovely little nest egg scam which I’m sure there not unhappy about!

And if they had a heart, or any empathy towards the lesser equiped classes below their dignity, there would be “worthwhile” Government investment into social housing somewhere near the scale of the late 40’s early 50’s.

People should not own hoses unless they reside in them. It's the insanity of speculation that's the cause of house prices being unaffordable.

The hopeless bureaucrats in local government are taking up to 2 years to approve development plans costing developers $ms and pushing up the cost of accommodation.

The hopeless bureaucrats in local government are taking up to 2 years to approve development plans
shadowminister,
these Labor supporting incompetents need to be charged !

*… The hopeless bureaucrats in local government are taking up to 2 years to approve development plans costing developers $ms and pushing up the cost of accommodation…*

Which is predicated on scarcity overpopulation and the sale of domestic real estate to any foreigner with the money and nouse to enter through the back door of weak legislation.

NSW has dispensed with Berejiklian, who in the end couldn’t hide her involvement in the underhanded land of developers.
She above most before her, made it plain how the system of corruption works, from the top down.
And speaking of stratification of privilege, that leaves the vast majority in housing crises mostly built on the foundation of massive debt and job insecurity.

So yes, it’s a fault of Government, and an ignorance of Democracy.

Dan.

How can a conservative Govt function & bring down home costs when the bulk of the Public Service is Labor & working at undermining the Govt with incompetence ?