Share housing stories are appearing more in our news and other media as an indication of the shortage of affordable homes.  Our forum in May will consist of an evening screening at the Kambri cinema (in partnership with ANU Film Group) of a new Australian film focusing on the experiences of young people navigating the private rental market and share housing.   Check out the trailer.

The screening will include a Q&A session with opportunities to speak with the filmmakers and also discuss issues raised relating to renting and share housing in the ACT.

To assist us with planning for the event please register your interest here.

The ACT Government is seeking views and suggestions as to how the Government should prioritise and efficiently allocate the Territory’s resources in developing the 2023‑24 Budget.
Community Sector Briefing and Consultations

The Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate and ACTCOSS are hosting opportunities for community organisations to be briefed on the ACT Budget as well as provide feedback on community budget priorities to Treasury officials.

Reserve a spot via Eventbrite
Please RSVP to one online session by 5pm Thursday 2nd March to meet with Treasury officials on:

To keep the discussion sharp and focused, each session will have a maximum of 25 organisations, and we request only one representative from each organisation. Please be ready to come to the meeting with a concise summary of the most essential investment that the ACT Government should include in the 2023-24 ACT Budget.

Share your ideas & have your say on Government projects and initiatives across Canberra.  The YourSay goal is to involve Canberrans in the decisions that impact their lives. YourSay provides you with a range of ways to participate and share your ideas online.

You can participate by joining online discussions, voting in quick polls and taking surveys. Sign-up today to start contributing and to receive updates about other opportunities to join in the conversation.

If you're renting in the ACT, you can get free help to keep your home cool on hot summer days and reduce your energy bills.

An independent energy expert from the ACT Government's Renters Home Energy Program can do a 60-minute home energy assessment in your home or over the phone. They will give you simple, low-cost tips to be more energy efficient. As a bonus and for a limited time, you'll also get free energy saving items and either a cooling towel or a heated throw rug so you can be ready for the winter months!

Book your free consultation today. Call the Sustainable Home Advice Line on 1300 141 777 or email SustainableHomeAdviceProgram@act.gov.au. Find out more on the Everyday Climate Choices website

A new report by the Property Council of Australia has found the vast majority of Australians believe there is a lack of affordable housing supply in their local community, with a failure to plan for our growing population having the biggest negative impact on affordability.
The paper draws together community sentiment and a suite of data to paint the starkest picture yet of Australia as a global laggard in providing affordable housing for its people.
 
The report also flags potential solutions to the crisis. These include giving the Australian government’s newly-formed Housing Supply and Affordability Council the power to publicly scorecard and rank the states and territories on their housing supply efforts, and showing how governments can boost the supply of retirement living, purpose-built student accommodation and build-to-rent housing.
 
The sentiment survey in the report found 81 per cent of Australians believe there is a lack of housing that is affordable in their area, with housing affordability the second biggest concern among respondents, ranked only behind the cost of living.
 
Property Council of Australia Chief Executive Mike Zorbas said Australians are feeling the effects of years of inaction.  “We have to change things up. We can’t afford another decade of failure,” Mr Zorbas said. “Whether it’s owned, rented or social housing, we need to provide more opportunities to produce new and more housing options to meet our growing needs.
 
The sentiment survey found 45 per cent of Australians believe the government should arrange incentives to encourage developers to build more affordable housing stock for key workers like nurses, police and teachers. It also found 40 per cent of people want to allow more townhouses and duplexes to be built to boost housing stock.  The survey also found over half of all renters say they are renting because they have no other option on the table, with a third believing they won’t be able to purchase a home in the next five years.
 
“While a significant portion of people who rent feel trapped, another significant portion chose to and prefer renting because it suits them,” Mr Zorbas said.  “If you are senior Australian who wants to expand their quality of life in a retirement village, a student who wants a community conveniently based near their place of learning or a family who seeks the improved security of tenure that comes with Build-to-Rent housing you need governments at all levels to make investment in these options as affordable as possible,” he said.
 
According to Demographia’s International Housing Affordability 2022 Report, Australia was the sole nation with all of the major city markets ranked as severely unaffordable. Sydney was the second least affordable market among 92 surveyed, with all 5 Australian capitals measured sitting inside the worst 20 for affordability.
 
The Property Council report, which is the first in a series of reports as part of a broader thought leadership campaign around housing, focuses on three key pillars of choice, affordability and the need to plan for a growing Australia.
 
To view the full report click here.