Housing News Digest
Housing News Digest
The Tenants' Union Housing News Digest compiles our pick of items from all the latest tenancy and housing media, sent once per week, on Thursdays.
Below is the Digest archive from November 2020 onwards. From time to time you will find additional items in the archive that did not make it into the weekly Digest email. Earlier archives are here, where you can also find additional digests by other organisations.
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Archive
Three-month extension for HomeBuilder scheme’
Colin Brinsden The New Daily (No paywall)The federal government’s HomeBuilder grants program is being extended for three months, which is expected to see a further 15,000 homes approved under the scheme by March next year.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/11/29/homebuilder-…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.HomeBuilder scheme extended, price caps increased for Vic, NSW homes
Bianca Hall The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Industry groups have welcomed the federal government’s announcement it will extend the HomeBuilder program for another three months and raise price caps for homes in Victoria and New South Wales to reflect higher property values in those states.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/homebuilder-scheme-exten…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.Using super to fix wages growth is as disingenuous as using it to fix the housing market
Greg Jericho The Guardian (No paywall)If the Morrison government wants to improve retirement incomes, it shouldn’t instead seek to destroy superannuation because they hate industry funds.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/commentisfree/2020/nov/29/u…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.Should we use our super to buy a home?
Patricia Karvelas ABC (No paywall)The idea of letting first home buyers dip into their super savings to get enough cash for a deposit appears to be gaining some political momentum. (ABC RN Drive)
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/drive/should-we-us…
# Audio Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.‘“Short-sighted, reckless”: readers respond to push for super access for homes
Orietta Guerrera The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Liberal MP Tim Wilson this week led a new push to allow workers to tap into their superannuation accounts early for a home deposit, saying it was "illogical" that a 40-year-old could have $100,000 in superannuation savings but not own a home.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/short-sighted-reckless-r…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.Early access to super will not solve housing affordability crisis
The Sydney Morning Herald Editorial The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The pandemic may have tipped many of Australia's economic sectors into turmoil, but there is one that is looking to quickly shake off any slowdown. Ultra-low interest rates and generous government incentive schemes for first-home buyers are expected to quickly revive the housing market and drive prices, already high, even higher.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/early-access-to-super-wi…
# Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Home ownership, Housing affordability.Property spruiker allegedly told students to use Family Court to pinpoint targets
Richard Baker The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)An influential Australian property spruiker who has made millions by selling the dream of wealth through investment has been referred to federal police for allegedly directing her students to buy property from people identified in Family Court proceedings as divorcing or financially struggling.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/property-spruiker-allegedly-told…
# Australia, Landlords and agents.Public housing to boutique luxury: Sirius plans revealed
Allison Hore City Hub (No paywall)Controversial plans to transform the Sirius public housing tower into luxury apartments have been revealed in the public exhibition of a development proposal before the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.’ Read her article entitled: ‘Public housing to boutique luxury: Sirius plans revealed.
https://cityhubsydney.com.au/2020/11/public-housing-to-boutique-…
# Hot topic NSW, Public and community housing, Heritage listings.