FACTBase Bulletin 23 - Managing Boomtown Perth: Policy Challenges for Adequate Housing Provision

By reviewing the international academic and policy literature, and informed by domestic empirical research, this FACTBase Bulletin focuses on the provision of adequate housing for all residents in Perth.

Key Findings

• Residential housing cuts across all four performance areas in liveability; economic, social, environmental, and cultural, therefore influences relevant policy.
• There is an increasing gap on social performance which was emphasised during the mid-2000s mining boom. These inequalities are also increasing among the generations.
• 90% of Perth’s population are out of reach of accessing affordable housing in both a purchasing and renting context.
• Perth has an undersupply of construction workers due to them being attracted by higher wages offered by the mining industry, consequently putting strain onto the housing and construction industry to provide adequate numbers of affordable accommodation.
• There is an ‘implementation gap’ for policy in Australia, where it is challenging for policy makers to implement well-sounding visions and ambitious strategies.