Arabic version: الأستراليون يشاركون ضغوط السكن والإيجار
According to ABC News, Australians across the country are grappling with a tight housing market, including people seeking affordable rentals, meeting mortgage repayments or trying to downsize. The outlet invited readers to share their experiences and put questions to Tom Alves of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and Gerard Burg of Cotality.
Renters described growing pressure from housing and living costs. Sarah said higher rent, fuel and food prices left nothing after bills and essentials to save for a home. Corina said she was paying $780 a week in rent but did not qualify for a mortgage, questioning why a decade of consistent rental payments could not demonstrate repayment capability. Michelle said her rent would rise to $360 in October and that she could not afford to move.
Alves said the growth in households renting long term was a major housing-policy challenge. A 2026 AHURI study found minimal growth in Australia’s social-housing stock over the past three decades, while the share of households living in social housing fell from 4.9 per cent in 1981 to 3.8 per cent in 2021. He said investment in community housing and affordable rental products could help increase options, though the issue would not be fixed overnight.
ABC News reported that Domain’s June Quarter 2026 Rent Report showed record-high rents across all capital cities. Combined capital-city house rents rose by $20 over the June quarter, taking annual growth to its strongest pace in almost two years. Unit rents increased by $5, while low vacancy rates left tenants facing what the report described as a landlord’s market.
Housing experiences varied by location. In Brisbane, 25-year-old customer service manager Zakariah Northcott said house prices had more than doubled over six years and that saving a deposit with his partner felt hopeless at times. In Mount Isa, residents told ABC North West Queensland that relatively low prices had made ownership attainable for some young families, but they were concerned that high costs for new construction and ageing housing stock could lead to a shortage of suitable homes.
