“It’s time housing was the third pillar in every government’s policy.” – Liz Thomas, Managing Director, Common Equity Housing and ACHA Chair.
Co-operative housing offers real solutions to Australia’s housing crisis — just ask Brooke Kerton, a full-time mum of four living in a co-op in Bairnsdale. With rent capped at 25% of household income, Brooke and her partner have security, affordability, and a supportive community.
However, co-operative housing accounts for less than 1% of Australia’s community housing stock. In places like Denmark, it’s closer to 30%.
As Liz Thomas shared with ABC:
🗨️ “In the private rental market, people lurch from 12-month lease to 12-month lease… That’s no way to plan a career or where your kids go to school.”
🗨️ “That empowerment — that renter agency — is really a fundamental part of feeling as though you’re in control of your living environment.”
📢 ACHA is calling for a dedicated community housing funding stream from the Housing Australia Future Fund — an additional $250 million over three years to build 500 co-operative homes each year and grow co-op housing to 10% of social housing stock.
As the election approaches, now is the time to ask:
What kind of housing future do we want?
It’s time to treat housing as the third pillar of public policy — alongside health and education.