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In this newsletter, you'll find:
Post 1
Why Government Should Be Australia’s Biggest Landlord: Solving the Housing Crisis
and
Post 2:
Australia’s Lamb & Housing Crisis: What the 2025 State of the Lamb Report Really Tells Us
📬️ Post 1: Could the Government Be Australia’s Next Big Landlord?
The numbers are in and Australia's housing crisis isn't improving—rents are increasing, vacancy rates are at historic lows, and nearly 190,000 households are languishing on social housing waitlists. Despite decades of tax breaks and incentives, the private market hasn't delivered the affordable, secure homes Australians desperately need.
In this article, we suggest that the government step in as the nation's largest landlord. By directly building and managing rental housing, the government could stabilise rents, improve housing quality, and create jobs. Innovative funding models like public REITs or housing bonds could make this approach financially viable.
We argue is that relying solely on private developers—who naturally prioritise profit over social responsibility—has left a gaping hole in the affordable rental market. It's time to consider a government-led strategy that puts people before profits and addresses the housing crisis head-on.
Anthony Painter
The real reason Alien encounters are zero. High rents, they can;t afford to stay too long.
📬️ Post 2: Australia’s Lamb & Housing Crisis: What the 2025 State of the Lamb Report Really Tells Us
If you've been wondering why finding an affordable home feels tougher than ever, the latest State of the Land 2025 report offers some eye-opening insights. Despite lofty housing targets, Australia is projected to fall short by nearly 400,000 homes by 2029, according to the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA).
So, what's holding things back? Apartment construction has slowed significantly due to rising costs and labour shortages. While there's been some improvement in releasing new land for housing, it's not enough to meet the growing demand. Developers are facing challenges as building costs rise, but buyers can't afford higher prices, creating a stalemate.
Adding to the pressure, Australia's population grew by over 550,000 last year, primarily through migration. However, the housing supply hasn't kept pace, leading to increased competition for homes and driving up prices and rents.
The report doesn't just highlight problems—it also points to solutions. It emphasises the need for coordinated efforts to boost housing supply, improve affordability, and enhance construction productivity.
Click the link below to read the article to get an overview of the report’s main discussions and takeaways.
Anthony Painter
No lamb was harmed in the drafting of this blog post.
Built something recently using a Builder or Trade Contractor? We'd love to get your feedback.
It takes less than 30 seconds to complete—no email is required to complete (nor is there any black magic going on behind the scene). We're interested in the result of the survey, the general consensus.
Cant see the survey below? Click here to open it
💾 Software of the Week: Site Report Pro (app)
If you’ve ever found yourself bogged down by paperwork after a site visit or struggling to keep track of project photos and notes, Site Report Pro might just be the tool you’ve been looking for.
This is not a sponsored post - just software we use and are sharing with you.
Site Report Pro is a mobile app designed to help you quickly and easily create professional site reports. It takes the hassle out of documenting site visits, tracking progress, and managing project photos. Imagine snapping photos, adding notes, and generating a polished report – all from your phone or tablet.
Why use it?
Let’s face it, no one wants to spend hours compiling reports. Site Report Pro simplifies the process, allowing you to produce detailed, organised reports right from the field. It’s perfect for keeping clients updated, documenting issues, or just staying on top of project progress. Plus, you can send reports directly from your device, saving you trips back to the office.
Features that make a difference:
📸 Quick Photo Capture: Snap pictures directly within the app, annotate them, and add descriptions so nothing gets lost in translation.
📝 Easy Note-Taking: Add comments and details on the go, making it easier to remember and report key information.
📤 Professional Reports: Create neat, PDF reports in minutes, ready to share with your team or clients.
📅 Custom Templates: Save time by using templates for repeated report types.
Who’s it for?
Site Report Pro is ideal for home owners, construction managers, site supervisors, architects, and anyone who needs to keep detailed records of site visits. If you juggle multiple projects or just want a more efficient way to document progress, this app is super helpful at an affordable price.
Platform Info:
The app is available for iOS, so you’ll need an iPhone or iPad to use it. It’s a mobile-first solution, meaning it’s designed for use right in the field rather than at your desk.
In short, Site Report Pro takes the paperwork out of your hands and puts it right in your pocket. Give it a try and see how it can streamline your site management!
👉 Explore Site Report Pro
ICYMI - the most important construction news from this week
🚀 The latest residential construction news from new sources around Australia for the news week ending 30-05-2025 🔥
This Week’s Theme: "Building on Shaky Foundations: Government Under Pressure"
This week’s construction news paints a clear picture of Australia’s housing sector—big plans and bold policies struggling to overcome deep-rooted challenges and old thinking.
The rejection of the $5 billion Rosehill redevelopment and opposition to the Glebe Island high-rise project highlight the difficulty of balancing development with community concerns. Despite these setbacks, there are signs of progress. The NSW Government’s Low to Medium Density scheme has boosted property values in areas like Rose Bay, encouraging new developments, while the Blackwattle Bay project aims to create more housing by re-purposing office space.
However, these efforts may not be enough. The Urban Development Institute of Australia’s 2025 State of the Land report warns of a looming shortfall of nearly 400,000 homes by 2029. Rising construction costs, labour shortages, and regulatory hurdles continue to slow progress, leaving Australia’s housing crisis far from resolved.
Cant 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
24-05-2025
Why the housing crisis in 'impossibly unaffordable' Australia will only worsen – [LINK]
Social housing at the centre of new planning code amendments – [LINK]
Our comment: Regulation (and incentivisation – carrot and stick) is the only way to ensure social and affordable housing targets are met. NIMBYs will kill infill strategies as a matter of "principle".
Pocock calls on governments to close CSIRO Ginninderry land deal – [LINK]
Our comment: This comment isn’t directly related to this article but touches on adjacent thinking. NIMBYs often have a mistaken image of social housing as uninspired “glib towers” with no style or quality. They’re wrong. Many talented architects are designing amazing, small-space solutions today. Social and affordable housing doesn’t have to look like the old brick boxes of the '50s and '60s (think fibro houses). They might not realise how far architecture and form have progressed since then.
25-05-2025
Why the housing crisis in 'impossibly unaffordable' Australia will only worsen – [LINK]
The One Policy Mistake That’s Fuelling Australia’s Housing Crisis – [LINK]
26-05-2025
Not climate or housing – no, our moral outrage is saved for taxing the rich – [LINK]
NDIS-approved disability accommodation company shuts down amid investor allegations – [LINK]
27-05-2025
🌯🌯🌯 Australia’s housing shortage is worse than thought – [LINK]
Housing supply still in doldrums, affordability to improve: NHSAC – [LINK]
Return of the housing Hunger Games – [LINK]
Small builders struggling to survive as construction sector dominates insolvencies – [LINK]
🌯🌯 The build to rent market looks good but it needs to meet our climate goals – [LINK]
Our comment: The easiest way to meet climate goals is to reduce heating and cooling costs and dwelling energy consumption. The best way to do that is by improving construction quality and standards using – wait for it – “building science” (yes, it’s a thing). Read our post on improving housing energy efficiency over buying electric vehicles HERE.
We’ve discussed this before. Most industry associations want to “make housing easier” rather than hold builders accountable for real quality or performance improvements. Instead of pushing for electric vehicles, we should focus on making homes more efficient – after all, that’s where we spend most of our time, not in a car.
If homes consume less energy, we can make real progress toward climate targets. But let’s be honest – many builders aren’t motivated by quality or sustainability, just by turnover and margin.
This is the only reason some associations seem to say, “Won’t someone think about the poor builders?” I’d feel differently if they were genuinely committed to building better homes, but right now, it seems they’re not.
28-05-2025
🌯🌯🌯 AIA supports new laws to safeguard homeowners – [LINK]
Article excerpt: “We need a regulatory framework that focuses on prevention,” Wagner said. “By embedding robust inspection, insurance, and rectification processes, this legislation supports the delivery of well-constructed, defect-free homes.”
🌯 Beyond immigration: the real drivers of Australia’s housing shortage – [LINK]
Our comment: I disagree with the premise of this article. Suggesting the building industry has failed to keep up with demand and that this failure was caused in part by increased immigration is nonsense.
It’s easy to see why a migration service sector company would push for increased immigration. The article does acknowledge that demand has increased but then blames supply-side issues, which is flawed logic.
Before increasing demand, there should have been policy mechanisms to increase supply. That’s true, but the article’s argument feels like someone saying, “I know there’s a problem, but I can’t quite figure it out, so please just fix it.” That's circular logic.
The only way to solve problems is to address the symptoms first (know what your dealing with), determine the root cause(s), and finally implement changes to prevent recurrence. This approach is standard in the scientific, medical, and aviation industries, so I believe it can easily be applied to housing as well. Otherwise, it’s like a doctor saying, ‘You should have known there’s a risk of HPV, so you should’ve only had one partner your whole life,’ instead of offering a proactive solution like vaccination or regular screening. It’s an oversimplification of root cause and causality.
Why Australian households are shrinking – [LINK]
Our comment: This article counters the previous one (above) and includes charts and data supporting its position.
Small businesses are making building homes more expensive, CEDA report warns – [LINK]
Our comment: So, should we just consolidate the industry into the top 10 largest companies? That might make regulatory and compliance easier, but it would create a whole new set of competition problems. Is it worth it?
Australia faces crippling housing shortage – [LINK]
The missing link between migration and housing policy – [LINK]
What’s next for Australia’s three largest city property markets? – [LINK]
29-05-2025
Has demand for new home construction hit bottom in Australia? – [LINK]
Demand for energy-efficient houses growing across Australia, Domain report finds – [LINK]
Are modular homes the solution to Australia’s housing crisis? (AUDIO) – [LINK]
Australian house prices close in on world record – [LINK]
🌯🌯🌯 Brisbane landlord says micro apartments help investors and tenants in housing crisis – [LINK]
Our comment: Smaller spaces improve rates and government spending budgets. Fark Moi (see below for context).
Cant see the video embed below? Click Here to view on Youtube
A Question posed by the interviewer in this video: “How do you justify that ethically?”
Answer: “I’m not answering directly. I’ll give you a false dilemma fallacy instead: ‘the tenants are winning, and the owners are winning.’” Nope, that wasn’t the question. The question was, “How do you justify that ethically?”
He then continues: “We’re trying to move people out of ‘slum landlords’ into quality housing outcomes,” which is a red herring fallacy and a hasty generalisation wrapped in a happy meal. No one mentioned “slum landlords.” Who are they, and what’s causing that environment (which is a separate discussion altogether)?
When asked about the cost of rent for a micro apartment at $400 per week, he deflects with, “The cost of a powered tent site is more than the rent of this apartment.” That’s irrelevant and a false equivalence No one asked about that.
It makes me want to ignore anything this person says for failing to answer the actual question. I’m sorry, but this person isn’t acting ethically in dodging direct questions, and they received no pushback from the interviewer. Answer the question asked; don’t make up a different one to suit your narrative.
Read our post on the 10 most common logical fallacies HERE.
30-05-2025
Qld portable home builder to pay over $2m for failing to supply – [LINK]
Largest SA infrastructure project underway – [LINK]
Australia’s first 3D social housing project completed – [LINK]
The Last Word
It’s always better to try and fail than not try at all. That’s what we think the government should be doing when it comes to supply side housing solutions. Less talk, more try.
The time to play it safe is over. We all need to channel our inner ‘Scotty P’ and live life with no ragrets.
Cant see the video embed below? Click here to view on Youtube
The Final Last Word
And remember, in the immortal words of Yoda:
Cant see the embed? Click here to view 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
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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.
