Audit objective and criteria This is the second of two Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) audits of the Scheme. The first audit report, ANAO Report No.8 2015–16, Administration of the National Rental Affordability Scheme, was presented to the Parliament in November 2015 and focused on the assessment of applications for allocations and management of reserved...

Housing is fundamental to the welfare of all Australians. From a social perspective it promotes and improves employment, educational and health outcomes. From an economic perspective it is a driver of participation and productivity as well as consumption, investment and savings in the economy. Recognising the importance of affordable housing, the role it plays in...

Short-term holiday letting has been a traditional activity, especially in holiday areas, for many years. Managed by property owners themselves or by local agents, it has sometimes flown under the regulatory radar, occurring with limited impact and scrutiny whether or not it was actually a permitted land use. With the advent of online advertising platforms...

The proportion of aged persons in Australia is set to increase significantly, posing many challenges. Amongst these is the growing number of households who lack housing security in retirement. The Age Pension in Australia is set at a comparatively low rate compared to other developed countries, reflecting an historical period when home ownership rates were...

Infrastructure in our cities – let’s call it the hardware – remains much the same as ever, but the software – the way we use it – is transforming rapidly. One piece of that software, Airbnb, is dramatically reshaping the world’s cities. The digital platform allows citizens to find and rent short-term accommodation from other...