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In this newsletter, you'll find:
Post 1: Super for Deposits: Will It Push House Prices Higher?
Post 2: Prefab Construction: Can It Really Fix Australia’s Housing Mess?
Post 3: Why Your Home’s Energy Rating Might Be Lying—And How to Fix It
Post 4: Why the Government Loves Red Ink—and Your Rising Home Value
📬️ Post 1: Could Using Super for a Home Deposit Backfire?
A recent analysis by Professor Chris Leishman from the University of South Australia suggests that allowing Australians to use their superannuation for home deposits might have unintended consequences.
While the policy aims to assist first-time buyers, the study indicates it could lead to a surge in housing demand without a corresponding increase in supply, potentially driving up property prices by 7.4% to 10.3%.
This price inflation could make housing even less affordable, particularly for renters and low-income households who may not have substantial superannuation savings to draw upon. Moreover, withdrawing superannuation funds early could impact long-term retirement savings, leaving individuals with less financial security in their later years.
In essence, while the proposal aims to assist aspiring homeowners, it could inadvertently widen the gap between those who can and cannot afford to enter the housing market.
👉 Read the full article by clicking on the link below:
Anthony Painter
📬️ Post 2: Can Prefab Construction Solve Australia’s Housing Crisis?
Prefab homes are often touted as a quick fix for Australia's housing problems (we're a fan)—promising faster builds, lower costs, and improved quality. But is it really that simple?
Drawing insights from the UK's housing plans, in this post we explore the potential of prefabricated construction in the Australian context. While prefab methods offer advantages, challenges like planning delays, regulatory hurdles, and workforce shortages remain significant obstacles.
Can prefab can truly change the housing sector or if it's just another political football? We also discuss the need for systemic changes to fully harness the benefits of prefab construction.
👉 For a comprehensive look at the role of prefab in addressing Australia's housing crisis, read the full article by clicking on the link below:
Anthony Painter
📬️ Post 3: Is Your Home's Energy Rating Misleading You?
Ever been told your home is a 7-star energy beacon of awesome, only to be hit with sky-high power bills?
Turns out, many energy ratings are based on ideal conditions and don't reflect real-life performance. This gap between design and reality means your "efficient" home might be leaking energy—and money.
In this post, we look at why current assessment tools like NatHERS and BASIX might not be giving you the full picture. More importantly, it offers practical steps you can take to ensure your home truly is energy-efficient, from smarter assessments to effective upgrades.
Don't let a misleading rating, or some builder bullshit drain your wallet. Read how to future-proof your home and finances, click on the link below to read the article now:
Anthony Painter
📬️ Post 4: Why the Government Loves Red Ink—and Your Rising Home Value
Ever feel like no matter how hard you try, buying a home in Australia just keeps slipping further out of reach? You're not imagining it—and it’s not just about supply or immigration.
In this article, you'll dive into how government budgets (yep, those deficits and surpluses you hear about on the news) actually tie into property prices. When the government runs a surplus, it’s pulling money out of the economy—your economy. But when it runs a deficit, it’s injecting money back in, which helps keep things moving.
Here’s the part you might not expect: the government benefits massively when property prices go up. More stamp duty. More land tax. More capital gains tax. So those rising house prices? They’re not just a market glitch—they’re a revenue stream.
It’s a deep dive, but we’ve added plenty of YouTube videos featuring some wise and well-informed voices to help explain the topic and its ripple effects.
Anthony Painter
Built something recently using a Builder or Trade Contractor? We'd love to get your feedback.
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💾 Software of the Week: Password.link - Share Sensitive Info Securely
Have you ever needed to send a password, credit card number, or other confidential info, but hesitated to use email or chat? Or, like me you wear a tin foil hat like a beret, half on/half of so you can quickly hide it before anyone notices your mild privacy paranoia?
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Why Use It?
Traditional methods like email or messaging apps can leave your sensitive data vulnerable. Password.link enhances security by:
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Ideal for freelancers, small businesses, IT professionals, tinfoil beret wearers, or anyone needing to share sensitive information securely. Whether you're sending login credentials to a client or sharing confidential documents with a colleague, Password.link ensures your data remains protected.
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As a web-based application, Password.link works across all major browsers and operating systems. No downloads or installations required.
Why We Like It
We like Password.link's robust (a word lawyers love) security features, including SMS verification and attachment sending (available in the basic plan and above). Additionally, the ability to set domain/email and IP whitelisting adds an extra layer of protection. The developer's willingness to offer custom plans and billing options, especially avoiding USD-only billing, is a bonus for those concerned about exchange rates.
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ICYMI - the most important construction news from this week
🚀 The latest residential construction news from new sources around Australia for the news week ending 13-06-2025 🔥
Theme of the Week
"The Illusion of Action"
Across this week's news cycle, one theme runs loud and clear: governments are scrambling to look busy—cutting "red tape," extending grants, pushing Build-to-Rent towers skyward—but none of it addresses the root problem: supply can't keep up, and demand continues to surge, largely due to policy-driven immigration and financialisation of housing.
Whether it's the Housing Ministers soundbites, fast-tracked developments, or another housing chart pack full of warnings we've already heard, the system is reacting to symptoms while ignoring the underlying disease. This is the week where illusion trumped action. Policies continue to fuel property prices under the guise of affordability reform, while the structural issues—labour shortages, regulatory capture, and speculative capital inflows—are left untouched.
It’s a week of big announcements with little substance. A PR machine in overdrive. Governments want you to believe they’re fixing it, but all they’re really doing is throwing more petrol on a supply-starved fire—and asking us to clap for the effort.
Music of the week
“Won’t Get Fooled Again” – The Who (1971)
“Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”
The Who's lyrics hits especially hard when federal governments blame local councils, developers/industry bodies blame regulation, and housing ministers claim to want “sustainable growth” while cheering on policies that inflate house prices.
It’s the same song and dance we’ve seen for years—and people are catching on. The Who nailed this level of disillusionment decades ago.
Can't see the video embed below? Click here to watch on Youtube.
We've highlighted our favourite news articles for the week by marking with a 🌮 or five (yes, we've changed to Tacos instead of burritos).
07-06-2025
Housing market launches after RBA rate cut – [LINK]
08-06-2025
🌮🌮 Housing Minister Clare O'Neil takes aim at Australia's regulation red tape – [LINK]
Our comment: In my view, the push to "cut red tape" isn’t about helping housing supply—it’s about getting more people into homes to boost tax revenue. It feels more like a budget patch for the next four years rather than a real solution. I hope I’m wrong.
🔖 Context Reminder (from 14-12-2024): "We’re not trying to bring down house prices," declared Housing Minister Clare O’Neil on Triple J. Instead, she stated the government wants "sustainable price growth." Experts had some differing views – [LINK]
🌮🌮🌮 Badly built housing propels the heat pandemic in Asia’s cities – [LINK]
Article Excerpt: "There is evidence that up to one fifth of the value of energy savings from well-designed and implemented energy efficiency retrofitting policies comes from direct health benefits, such as reduced respiratory illness and heart disease."
"Despite some Australian governments declaring a ‘climate emergency’ and releasing net-zero plans, these efforts have had limited impact on improving new housing or renovation standards."
Our comment: This article misses the mark IMO. Comparing India to Australia isn’t helpful—there’s already excellent local research on this. For a thorough understanding of how well (or poorly) we build in Australia, check out the 2016 scoping study on condensation by the ABCB and the Federal Government—especially pages 29, 39, 60, and 91 - HERE.
The recommendations are sitting there, but politics, costs, and time keep them ignored. We already know how to build better—what’s missing is the will to act. Articles like this just point at the symptoms instead of tackling root causes. We’re deliberately avoiding real solutions, and that’s the problem. If journalists want to help, they should be interviewing the experts who authored that report, not writing clickbait comparisons.
🌮 Cliff Notes: responsive policy – [LINK]
Our comment: I learned (or maybe rediscovered) a phrase this week: "Ball ticklers." That’s how I now think of the Big 4 banks—they’re just servicing the government’s debt machine. The government creates money, the banks push the mortgages, and the RBA is the dong! It’s a crude analogy, but it sums up our economy: all balls (banks), small prick (RBA).
🌮 Worsening global housing affordability crisis presents major risks to Australians – [LINK]
Byline: Not one of 95 global housing markets is considered affordable, and Australia ranks among the worst. Bubble risk is real.
Article Excerpt: Even if housing prices dropped 30%, the RBA says only 10% of borrowers would face negative equity.
Construction sector keeps economy afloat as GDP growth slows – [LINK]
Our comment: GDP is a measure of productivity, and construction is a major pillar of Australia’s economy. The government leans heavily on the private sector here, but private developers are finding it too expensive to build outside the high-end market. The lower end of the supply curve is in dire straits—life support, even. It’s time for the government to step in and close the housing supply gap.
09-06-2025
🌮🌮🌮 The great housing gaslight – [LINK]
🌮🌮🌮 Australians are being lied to on housing – [LINK]
10-06-2025
Building approvals continue to drop, deepening Australia’s housing crisis – [LINK]
Fury as Sydneysiders build their mansions, then ‘ask forgiveness later’ – [LINK]
Our comment: This kind of behaviour angers people—double standards kill public trust. Everyone just wants a fair go. Once the game is rigged, the fallout is only a matter of time.
Build right, build strong, build legally: essential lessons for success – [LINK]
Current state of the construction and infrastructure market – [LINK]
🌮🌮 ACCC probes real estate giant REA Group over price gouging amid soaring costs – [LINK]
Our comment: Even if REA is found guilty, will the penalty be meaningful—or just a slap on the wrist? Commissions haven’t changed, but property numbers and prices have gone up. Agents are essentially order takers right now, rewarded regardless of effort. In theory, agents add value by enabling sales—but most leads are generated online now. Unless you’re at the very top or bottom of the game (like all markets), there’s not much separating one agent from another (especially those that feign demand "present your best offer or you'll miss out. Another $10k and its yours, a done deal!" - BS!
O’Neil says she’s not a YIMBY, but here’s how she plans to help fix the housing shortage – [LINK]
Article Excerpt: Slow and rigid planning regulations are blamed for Labor falling more than 200,000 homes short of its 1.2 million target by mid-2029.
Our comment: Seems like local councils are being blamed for federal policy failures. We don’t lack productivity—we lack labour to meet the increased demand from immigration. Pausing immigration isn’t about xenophobia—it’s about giving the system time to catch up. Every added person increases demand, and the supply side simply can’t keep up. I suspect immigration is being used to project future tax revenue to fund long-term budget plans. If true, it’s dangerous and shortsighted.
11-06-2025
Australia’s wildly expensive housing just got a bit more affordable – [LINK]
One of Australia’s biggest home building grants has just been extended – [LINK]
32-Storey Build-to-Rent Tower is Rising Fast Over Brisbane River – [LINK]
12-06-2025
🌮🌮 Monthly Housing Chart Pack – June 2025 – [LINK]
Our comment: If you want fresh, unfiltered data, go straight to the source—CoreLogic/CoTality. Everyone else just paraphrases it.
New business models could help save Australia from its housing crisis – [LINK]
Our comment: I’d replace “servitisation” with “feudalisation.” This isn’t innovation—it’s a shift toward corporate ownership. Housing is straightforward: increase supply, reduce demand, and let the system reset. We don’t need complex new models—we just need the will to act.
🌮🌮 Insolvency in the Construction Sector: Financial Red Flags and Risk Mitigation for Accountants – [LINK]
Article Excerpt: Many insolvencies stem from poor internal controls and over committing to too many projects. This strains labour, timelines, and quality, masking problems until it's too late.
Our comment: That’s a fancy way of saying “people got greedy.” Most failures boil down to the seven deadly sins. Fear and greed drive behaviour—and that’s why marketers target emotion. We haven’t evolved much.
13-06-2025
New Zealand shames Australia on housing affordability – [LINK]
Article Excerpt: NZ’s median multiple improved while Australia’s rose from 8.0 in 2021 to 9.7 in 2024. NZ understands prices need to fall. Australia keeps fuelling demand instead.
Reader reply: I’m a public housing tenant — Labor must learn from the Greens’ common sense – [LINK]
🌮🌮 ‘A smart reform’: Red tape slashed to fast-track 377,000 NSW homes – [LINK]
Property Council Welcomes Breakthrough on Dewatering Reforms – [LINK]
🌮🌮🌮 Icy homes: Why most Aussies are using their heaters the wrong way – [LINK]
Article Excerpt: Dr Sarah Robertson (RMIT) says most homes in Australia weren’t designed for winter. Energy efficiency is still an afterthought.
Our comment: Even someone like me saw this coming years ago. Check out this [LINK], or this [LINK], or this [LINK], or this one [LINK]—each highlights the same issue. We’re rushing to build more at any cost, forgetting quality until the bill comes due. Builders focus on contracts and cash flow, not future performance. Regulators listen to industry lobbyists, and the cycle repeats.
🌮🌮🌮🌮 Private credit tipped to play a $90bn role in Australian real estate funding by 2029 – CBRE – [LINK]
Our comment: If you read last week’s newsletter (see "Thought to Chew On"), we touched on this. Australian real estate is being packaged and sold to international investors like a national REIT. If you're squinting while wearing a tinfoil hat, the parallels are hard to miss. Home mortgage holders are the product—and we’ve left the front door wide open. Welcome, landlord. No need to wipe your feet, the place is already a mess.
The Last Word
“Common People” by Pulp (1995)
Pulp’s 1995 hit "Common People" tells the story of a wealthy art student who wants to "live like common people." But as the song unfolds, it becomes clear that she can't truly grasp the struggles of the working class. After all, as the lyrics point out:
"If you called your dad, he could stop it all."
For many, poverty isn't a choice or a temporary phase—it's a daily reality without an easy escape. The song criticises the romanticization of hardship by those who can opt out whenever they choose.
This song feels particularly relevant when looking at Australia's current housing situation. Policies like Build-to-Rent (BTR) aim to increase housing supply, but critics (many people) argue they often cater to higher-income renters, leaving many Australians struggling to find affordable options.
Meanwhile, high immigration rates have added pressure to the housing market. In 2022–23, net overseas migration reached 536,000, the highest in Australian history, intensifying demand in already tight markets.
Just as the art student in "Common People" can't truly understand the working-class experience, some policymakers may seem out of touch when implementing solutions that don't effectively alleviate housing pressures.
Addressing the crisis requires not only increasing supply but also ensuring that housing policies are equitable and responsive to the needs of all Australians, not just constituents or lobby groups.
Can't see the video embed below? Click here to watch on Youtube.
😶🌫️ That's all of today
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Feel free to reach out on X or Mastodon or Bluesky - @obiwonky - 👋 Anthony
PS: Quality Management Checklist Access
All our published checklists are available to download via the Checklists Link in the navigation menu or directly at https://www.constructor.net.au/checklists/.
To download, simply enter your email when prompted. This allows us to assign you a free license—nothing more. Once completed, you’ll be able to view and download the checklists.
Each checklist is formatted on A4-sized paper for easy printing. Be aware that the files are larger than typical PDFs, around 25–35 MB each, as they are saved in CMYK (print-ready) format. This ensures the best quality for printing, even if it makes the files a bit “chunkier.”
Enjoy the checklists, we hope they help you identify quality improvements in your new home or next project - or at least, get you thinking.
Anthony Painter
Please note: You’ll need to be a member and to log in to access the content.
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Head over to the Feedback tab in the navigation menu to share your thoughts, view our road map, and up vote feature requests. We want to hear from you—because no one likes the sound of one hand clapping.
PS: 23-05-2025 To the person trying to inject malicious code into our feedback form—get a life. If you've got skills, put them to good use. Go write your own blog, share your insights, and help people in a way that only you can. Stop wasting your energy being destructive when you could be doing something that actually adds value. It’s easy to tear down—try building something instead.
