A rich country in a housing crisis?

To end the housing crisis, governments need to stop subsidising private investors and instead directly invest in social housing. 


On this episode, Maiy Azize joins Paul Barclay to discuss the housing crisis, how the government stopped directly providing housing and started subsidising private investors, why immigration is not to blame, how the housing crisis is an inequality crisis, why ‘supply’ is not the main problem nor main solution, and why Australia needs to massively invest in social housing. 


This discussion was recorded on 20 March 2025, and things may have changed since the recording. 


Order What’s the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia (https://australiainstitute.org.au/sto...)  now, via the Australia Institute website. 


Guest: Maiy Azize, national spokesperson Everybody's Home and deputy director, Anglicare Australia // @MaiyAzize (https://x.com/maiyazize?lang=en)  


Host: Paul Barclay, Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster // @PaulBarclay (  / paulbarclay  )  


Show notes:  


Australia’s sick housing joke (https://australiainstitute.org.au/pos...) , Dollars & Sense (March 2025) 


Migrants are not to blame for soaring house prices (https://australiainstitute.org.au/pos...) , by Matt Grudnoff, the Australia Institute (March 2025) 


Australia wastes billions making housing more expensive (https://australiainstitute.org.au/pos...) , Dollars & Sense (July 2024) 


For more affordable housing we need more public housing (https://australiainstitute.org.au/pos...)  by Lilia Anderson, the Australia Institute (February 2024) 


Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions 


We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au (mailto:podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au) . 


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