Vacant housing rates are rising in our major cities. Across Australia on census night, 11.2% of housing was recorded as unoccupied – a total of 1,089,165 dwellings. With housing affordability stress also intensifying, the moment for a push on empty property taxes looks to have arrived.

Research with the Regional Australia Institute, examining the latest 2016 Census data, found 151 regional local government areas were helping to offset declining population in regional areas by attracting international migrants.

Australia has the highest rate of population growth of all the medium and large OECD countries. But urban planning for this growth is often inadequate.

If one is really interested in providing more housing for people on low to moderate incomes, the community sector is the way to go – not public housing, argues Terry Burke.

Population growth has profound impacts on Australian life, and sorting myths from facts can be difficult., writes Liz Allen.