This submission argues that intergenerational housing inequity is not simply the result of demographic change or market conditions, but of policy choices that have reshaped the housing system over time. In particular, it shows how Australia has moved away from directly providing housing and toward subsidising private investment, and how tax settings have reinforced this shift by privileging wealth accumulation over income from work.
This submission calls for a rebalancing of housing policy. It recommends reforming tax settings that incentivise speculative investment, and reinvesting the revenue raised into public and community housing. Together, these changes would help restore housing as essential infrastructure, improve access to secure homes, and address the growing divide between those who can rely on housing wealth and those who cannot.