This research progresses the priority areas identified by the National Mental Health Commission and provides evidence about the systemic issues and policy levers to provide housing and services for people with mental health issues.

Improved housing conditions can save lives, prevent disease, increase quality of life, reduce poverty, and help mitigate climate change. Housing is becoming increasingly important to health in light of urban growth, ageing populations and climate change.

Given the developments in the Australian property market since 2015-16, and the repeated claims from Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg and others, that reform of the negative gearing policy would have severe negative impacts, this report argues that it's time to revisit the policy, in light of the current state of the Australian property market.

This study identified five Australian housing markets that could use online technology to match highly specific ‘buyers’ and ‘sellers’. The five markets considered are: swaps in public housing; disability accessible housing; low-cost private rental housing brokerage; apartment presales for low/mid income earners; and precinct-level urban redevelopment.

A tenfold increase in building is needed to overcome the current social housing shortfall and cover projected growth in need. It can be done, and direct public investment is the cheapest way.