The research, conducted by the Macquarie University Housing and Urban Research Centre, examined voters’ views during the 2025 federal election. Findings reveal a nation united in frustration over housing, with nine in 10 renters and a clear majority of homeowners and investors agreeing Australia is facing a housing crisis.
Despite near-universal concern, only 16 per cent of voters say they are satisfied with the Australian Government’s performance on housing – and no group, including homeowners, gives the government majority support.
“The sense of frustration is deep, widespread and cutting across party lines,” says Associate Professor Ben Spies-Butcher, from the Housing and Urban Research Centre. “The government’s current focus on housing supply just doesn’t match what voters think is driving the problem.
“Australians are losing faith in the promise that effort alone can buy a home.
“This report has shown many Australian voters believe the housing problem is a national crisis. While they have a range of policy preferences, voters also lack confidence in the political and policy response to housing.”
The study found significant divisions in what Australians believe is causing the crisis and how to fix it.
Voters on the political left tend to favour direct government intervention, such as rent caps, public housing and first home buyer grants. Those on the right are more likely to cite immigration and population growth as key pressures on housing.
Populist-right voters, traditionally aligned with homeowners, are now showing growing hostility to rising prices and property investors, revealing a significant shift in political attitudes. Despite the government’s heavy emphasis on housing supply, changes to planning to facilitate density ranked below most other policy options, with 44 per cent support compared to 57 per cent support for limiting rents and 69 per cent support for higher first home buyer grants.
While voters generally see housing supply as a cause of the crisis, young people identified high interest rates (43 per cent), low wage growth (37 per cent) and immigration (32 per cent) as more important than the supply of new housing (27 per cent).
“For many young Australians, the traditional path to home ownership no longer feels achievable and that loss of belief could reshape Australia’s political and social landscape for years to come,” says Associate Professor Spies-Butcher.
The report found housing profoundly shapes voter behaviour.
Almost two in three Greens supporters said housing influenced their vote, and strong concern was also evident among younger voters across the political spectrum.
When asked about potential policy solutions, voters were most supportive of increasing first home buyer grants (76 per cent) and least supportive of loosening planning and zoning rules to allow for more high-density housing (43 per cent) – a cornerstone of current government policy.
Young people and renters want to see rent caps, public housing, first home buyers grants and rent assistance – more interventionist approaches as opposed to older generations.
The full report is available here.