Australians are calling for urgent action to tackle the nation’s deepening housing crisis, prioritizing increased housing supply and faster construction as key solutions.
These findings emerge from Australia’s first-ever national AMPLIFICATION on Housing, an independent public deliberation that brought together 100 randomly selected Australians to weigh up expert-developed housing reforms. Participants—homeowners, renters, young people, retirees, and voters across the political spectrum—agreed on five top priorities to address what has been described as the “worst housing crisis in recent history.”
The Public’s Top Housing Reform Priorities
- Fab Pre-Fab (Blueprint Institute) – Leveraging cutting-edge prefabrication technology to accelerate home construction.
- Commuter Communities (YIMBY Melbourne) – Enabling more housing in walkable, transit-accessible neighborhoods.
- Renter’s Rights (Committee for Economic Development Australia – CEDA) – Strengthening protections to ensure renters have secure housing.
- Target 10% (Everybody’s Home) – A long-term goal to increase social housing to 10% of total stock by 2045.
- More Bang for Your Block (CEDA) – Simplifying regulations to allow for granny flats, tiny homes, and garage conversions.
Georgina Harrisson, CEO of AMPLIFY, emphasized the urgency: “This is the worst housing crisis in recent history. We need critical action now—these reforms span innovative construction techniques, better urban planning, and stronger social protections.”
Public Sentiment Drives Reform Push
The national deliberation reflected growing frustration with the housing system’s failures. Participants and experts identified three primary drivers of the crisis:
- High land and construction costs
- Lack of investment in public and affordable housing
- Excessive regulatory barriers
Participant Ray Newland from New South Wales said the process reshaped his views: “I met people with perspectives I hadn’t considered before. It’s easy to dismiss ideas when they don’t seem to impact you directly, but hearing from those affected opened my mind.”
A Community-Driven Mandate for Change
Research conducted by AMPLIFY underscores the public’s dissatisfaction with the current system:
- 95% of Australians believe housing affordability is worsening across all demographics.
- 75% trust their fellow citizens more than the government to make sound housing policy decisions.
- 84% want greater community involvement in policymaking.
With trust in political institutions at an all-time low, AMPLIFY’s community-driven approach seeks to ensure public voices influence national policy. The deliberation’s findings will now form the foundation of a national advocacy campaign aimed at pressuring politicians to act.
A Broader Call for Systemic Reform
The deliberation also revealed widespread concerns about governance, with Australians citing a lack of ambition and long-term thinking in politics.
- 81% believe Australia needs to strengthen its democratic processes.
- 61% think political parties serve vested interests rather than the general public.
- Only 27% of Australians feel they and their families will be better off in five years.
Dr. Rory Gallagher, Chief Policy and Research Officer at AMPLIFY, said the initiative demonstrated the power of citizen engagement: “Community deliberation fosters inclusive, consensus-driven policymaking. People from all walks of life came together to find real solutions to the housing crisis.”
Next Steps: Taking the Message to Policymakers
The reforms debated during AMPLIFY’s deliberation were shaped by leading housing and policy experts, including Brendan Coates (Grattan Institute), Robert Pradolin (Housing All Australians), and Liana Downey (Blueprint Institute). Their recommendations will now be presented directly to policymakers, backed by a strong public mandate for immediate action.
As housing prices continue to soar and rental options shrink, the public’s call for reform grows louder. With a structured, evidence-based approach, AMPLIFY aims to turn public frustration into political action, ensuring that Australians’ voices shape the future of housing policy.
About AMPLIFY
AMPLIFY is a non-partisan, independent organization dedicated to fostering public engagement in policy decision-making. Founded by SEEK and Square Peg Co-Founder Paul Bassat, AMPLIFY is led by CEO Georgina Harrisson, former Secretary of the NSW Department of Education. Australians can join the community and contribute to future deliberations at www.amplifyaus.org.
