Housing News Digest
Housing News Digest
The Tenants' Union Housing News Digest compiles our pick of items from all the latest tenancy and housing media, sent once per week, on Thursdays.
Below is the Digest archive from November 2020 onwards. From time to time you will find additional items in the archive that did not make it into the weekly Digest email. Earlier archives are here, where you can also find additional digests by other organisations.
Our main email newsletter, Tenant News is sent once every two months. You can subscribe or update your subscription preferences for any of our email newsletters here.
See notes about the Digest and a list of other contributors here. Many thanks to those contributors for sharing links with us.
We love sharing the news and hope you find it informative! We're very happy to deliver it for free, but if you find it valuable, can you help cover the extra costs incurred by making a donation?
Archive
HomeBuilder and New Home Guarantee extended, 2 per cent deposit Family Home Guarantee introduced in 2021-22 federal budget
Kelsie Iorio ABC (No paywall)The 2021-22 Federal Budget commits to "supporting construction jobs and home ownership" and the budget details multiple grants and schemes aimed at "helping more Australians realise their goal of home ownership", but each of those measures comes with strict eligibility criteria and significant, long-term financial commitments.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-12/federal-budget-housing-af…
# Australia, Affordable housing, Federal Government, Home ownership.Billions flow into struggling aged care homes awaiting major law reforms
Rachel Clun The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)A complete overhaul of Australia’s troubled aged care system will be delivered within two years as the federal government responded to the aged care royal commission by immediately pumping billions of dollars into struggling providers. Under sweeping changes to be introduced by the government, people will be able to choose aged care homes based on star ratings, there will be mandatory minimum minutes for care workers and nurses to spend with residents each day, and the workforce will be ramped up to meet growing demand.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/billions-flow-into-strug…
# Australia, Federal Government, Health, Housing market, Older people.Federal budget 2021: Help for first-home owners welcome, but missed chance to do more
Elizabeth Redman Domain (No paywall)Help with reaching home ownership is always welcome, but the last two budgets have proved a missed opportunity to do more. ... But if this budget and the previous one — delivered as the second coronavirus wave was subsiding — are not the time for a big boost to spending on social housing, then when?
https://www.domain.com.au/news/federal-budget-2021-help-for-firs…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Affordable housing, Federal Government, Home ownership, Homelessness.Single mum living with her 10 kids in mould-ridden council house due to shortage of homes
Catherine Mackinlay and Matthew Dresch (No paywall)A single mum says she has been forced to live in a freezing, mould-ridden home with her 10 children after her local council told her she could not be re-housed. Lisa Clarke, from Blackpool, cannot move out of the property because the local authority says it has a shortage of large council houses. (Mirror)
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/single-mum-10-cant-leave-2…
# International, Public and community housing, Repairs, Health, Housing market, Mould, Personal stories.What's in the budget? Here are the key measures we already know about
Gareth Hutchens ABC (No paywall)Here are the major policies that have already been flagged ahead of the Treasurer's budget speech tonight. Check out section called 'Housing policy'. Also, check out the story in 'The Sydney Morning Herald' at: [https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/budget-2021-what-we-already-know-20210510-p57qdw.html].
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-11/budget-measures-we-alread…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership, Housing market, Welfare.Hunt promises ‘record’ response to aged care royal commission in budget
Rachel Clun The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Health Minister Greg Hunt says the government wants its response to the aged care royal commission to make a fundamental and material difference to the sector, which will receive at least $10 billion over four years in Tuesday’s budget.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/hunt-promises-record-res…
# Australia, Housing market, Older people.Federal budget 2021: HomeBuilder unleashes $30b construction boom – but it won’t last
Kate Burke Domain (No paywall)A $30 billion residential construction boom has been unleashed by the federal government’s HomeBuilder scheme, but the current run in prices and activity is not expected to last.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/federal-budget-2021-homebuilder-u…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership, Housing market.Canberra gains more than a dozen 'million-dollar suburbs' in two years as house prices rise rapidly
Isaac Nowroozi ABC (No paywall)If you are trying to enter the Canberra property market and feel it is getting much harder, much quicker — you are right.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-10/canberras-new-million-dol…
# Australia, Housing affordability, Housing market, Landlords and agents.