Solving Australia’s severe housing shortage

Australia’s national housing challenge is one that has been intensifying over recent years, with demand far outweighing supply. One thing is clear, with the amount of interdependencies between all aspects of infrastructure development, this can’t be fixed overnight. The scale of this challenge calls for a holistic, bold systems-thinking approach that considers all stakeholders in the residential housing development process to ensure we have a system that is fit for purpose and is sustainable for all – socially, environmentally and commercially.

In this first point of view on the national housing challenge, we take a closer look at why taking a systems-thinking approach is one of the best ways to create systems change. Relationships and interdependencies are at the heart of this approach, providing a broader perspective of the system, instead of a siloed focus on individual components. This approach requires taking a people-centric perspective and treating houses as homes and not just as assets - which can generate social, economic and environmental dividends.

We see the necessity of each part of the housing system working in a way that complements – rather than detracts from – the other parts of the system. As long as policy, investment, and housing delivery continue to be undertaken in isolation from other parts of the housing system, the ambitious aspirations set by all tiers of government will remain in doubt.

Click here to receive our first paper in this new series which includes an interactive diagram of the housing ecosystem.