Housing

2025

Has the abundance agenda infected Australia's federal Labor party?

Fix land use regulations and you'll fix construction productivity May 28

A new report adds to growing evidence that poor construction productivity flows from land use regulations and tax policy.

The trilemma of age limits, Housing constraints matter, Prices work, and What grows productivity. May 15

Here’s some of what I’ve been reading from outside Australia recently, along with a few short thoughts on each.

How big should Australia's cities be? May 5

Ken Henry's answer to that question actually explains a lot.

Housing policy, Albo's record, Election flop, Why pollies don't reform Apr 16

This is the first of what I intend to become a regular Oz Econ Pulse, a free roundup of the economic, political, and social trends that impact Australia.

Dumb and dumber housing policy Apr 13

Both major parties are set to throw cash at first home buyers, which in Australia's choked housing market, will bid up prices and unleash unintended consequences.

The unwanted Budget, Don't blame Alfred for inflation, Productivity not protectionism, You don't need six figures to afford rent, Dutton's dangerous idea, and Solar's Achilles' heel Mar 23

Please note that I’m travelling internationally this week and will have limited access to a computer, so Aussienomics will be taking a short breather ahead of the inevitable chaos that will be the run-up to the federal election, which—if called by the end of this month—could be held as soon as 3 May.

Another costly bailout, Medicare's funding boost, 13 ideas to fix housing, why the WA GST deal is fair, and the decline of German trains Feb 23

This update has become something of a weekly policy analysis wrap, given the flurry of announcements we’re getting ahead of a federal election that now looks like it’ll be held on or before 12 April (today is the deadline for a 29 March election to be called).

Can we fix housing? Feb 19

Decades of policy decisions have strangled construction productivity, making housing increasingly unaffordable in Australia.

More on Trump's tariffs, Albo's upper class welfare, Dutton's housing gimmick, Canada's pain, Australia's challenges, and why are so many of us disabled. Feb 3

The fallout from the first Trump 2.0 tariffs has continued into the week, with the latest casualty (other than global equities) being the risky crypto that had been bid up on what was ‘supposed’ to be a market-friendly Trump government: