Migration Not Reason for Australia’s Housing Crisis
The Business Council of Australia (BCA) has dismissed concerns that the post-pandemic migration surge is responsible for the housing crisis. In a paper on migration reform released on Thursday, the business group said that the problem primarily stems from inadequate policy and planning. The BCA's report comes ahead of next week's National Cabinet meeting, at which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to secure agreement from the states on strengthening housing supply and improving rental rights. While BCA recognised this lack of housing supply as a "real problem," it said migration was not the critical issue driving it and cutting numbers was not the solution. "The majority of Australians agree that migration is a benefit to Australia," the report said. "The proviso is that this must be properly planned and managed, including the provision of sufficient housing supply." The BCA highlighted poor-performing planning systems and restrictive zoning as a handbrake on new supply in its report. It also noted that a desire for more space during COVID lockdowns and a subsequent decline in the number of people per dwelling added to the demand for housing, even as the population shrunk. While the business council welcomed the federal government's efforts to reform the migration system, it stated that slow and complex migration systems were holding the nation back as firms competed for the "best and brightest".
It stated that it's disingenuous to brand a temporary rebalancing of Australia's migration inflows as a "big Australia" policy.
Tags : Business Council of Australia post-pandemic migration surge housing crisis policy planning Australia National Cabinet