Exploding Rents, Skyrocketing House Prices—Housing (Un)Affordability in ACT

Exploding Rents, Skyrocketing House Prices—Housing (Un)Affordability in the ACT

The ACT, like other jurisdictions not just in Australia but around the Western world, is enduring a crisis of affordability across all forms of housing. In this roundtable, we will discuss what the problem is and crucial aspects of any solution to it. Discussion will be led by Jon Stanhope, Chief Minister of the ACT from 2001 until 2011; Hal Pawson, Professor Emeritus at UNSW and non-executive Director at Community Housing Canberra; and Peter Phibbs, Professor Emeritus at the University of Sydney and former director of the Henry Halloran Research Trust.

Stanhope will open the event with remarks about the serious implications for social justice of the housing crisis in the ACT.

Pawson, who has published extensively on housing policy, will explain the concept of social housing, which encompasses both public and not-for-profit provision, and report on the sector’s recent modest revival across Australia. He will also comment on the ongoing degradation of public housing in the ACT.

Phibbs, who has had a long and distinguished academic career in planning, will speak on the recent experience of Sydney in planning reform designed to deliver so-called “missing middle” housing—dwellings between detached houses and high-rise apartments—in order to suggest that other strategies will be needed if the greater housing mix sought is to be realised.

This event is organised by the Capitalism Studies Network (ANU)

If you require accessibility accommodations or a visitor Personal Emergency Evacuation plan, please contact the event organiser. For more information contact: [email protected]