The housing crisis is far from over

The government took on housing investor tax concessions to bring prices down, but more action is needed to address the rental affordability crisis.
On this episode of Follow the Money, Maiy Azize and Matt Grudnoff join Ebony Bennett to discuss how the government’s changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing are allowing more first-homebuyers to enter the market, the data revealing that migration isn’t the cause of the housing crisis, and the dire situation facing Australian renters.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 25 August.
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Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.
Guest: Maiy Azize, Chair, Everybody’s Home & Deputy Director, Anglicare Australia // @maiyazize
Guest: Matt Grunoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Priced Out 2026, Everybody’s Home (August 2026)
The Coalition’s answer to the housing crisis is a race to the bottom by Maiy Azize, The Point (August 2026)
House prices are cooling, exposing a stubborn political narrative for what it is by Maiy Azize, The Point (July 2026)
No, the housing tax changes won’t push up rents by Matt Grudnoff, The Point (August 2026)
It could take until 2037 to recover from Australia’s real wage collapse by Greg Jericho, The Point (August 2026)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
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