Housing issues worsen as Australians cut back on essentials to pay rent

Seven in 10 Australians believe the housing crisis has deteriorated over the past year, with many forgoing basic necessities to meet housing costs, new research has revealed.

A survey by Master Builders Australia found 90 per cent of respondents struggled to afford buying or renting property.

The independent study of more than 1,600 voters showed housing costs had become a critical concern for nearly a quarter of respondents, up from 8 per cent a year ago.

Master Builders’ CEO Denita Wawn said the findings painted a concerning picture of housing affordability.

“We’ve seen the housing crisis worsen over the last 18 months with more than one in three Australians now going without essentials like food or medicine to pay their rent or mortgage,” she said.

The research found about one-third of Australians sacrificed medical treatment, education expenses or groceries to cover housing costs in the past year.

Approximately 85 per cent of respondents acknowledged a nationwide housing shortage.

The survey revealed 70 per cent believed the Albanese government had not adequately addressed housing issues.

More than two-thirds of respondents said housing problems had reduced their community’s quality of life.

Most proposed solutions garnered support from at least half of those surveyed, including controlling inflation and interest rates, boosting infrastructure spending, workforce training, faster planning approvals and increased density.

Wawn said 65 per cent of respondents placed responsibility for solving the crisis on the federal government.

“The building and construction industry is ready to get on with the job after a difficult few years, but we can’t deliver unless governments do their bit to ease cost pressures and reverse declining productivity,” she said.

The survey was conducted over one week in mid-November by Queensland-based firm Insightly.