A new data analysis commissioned by the Greens reveals a grim reality for Australian homebuyers.
The average aged or disability carer, or a typical retail manager, would need to spend over two-thirds of their income to afford a mortgage on an average Australian house.
The situation is dire, but experts believe that part of the solution might be found in an unexpected place—Australia’s idle homes.
How many homes are vacant in Australia?
On today’s episode of The Briefing, we talked to LiSTNR’s senior investigative journalist, Claudianna Blanco, to break down the data for us.
According to a 2021 Administrative Data Snapshot, between 130,000 and 140,000 dwellings in Australia were inactive—showing no signs of recent occupancy.
These are homes where records indicate that at least one person lived there within the five years leading up to 2021, but they remain vacant now.
These figures exclude non-residential properties, short-term rentals, and holiday homes.
“So, there are tens of thousands of these residences just sitting there in all Australian capital cities. In fact, they’re all in the most coveted inner-city suburbs,” she said.
“Australia needs to stop seeing housing as an opportunity to generate and create wealth. It needs to see housing for what it is—it’s existential for human life. It’s a human right.”
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