This report details an inquiry investigating the role of Australia's 'big box' retailers and large format retailers in price setting. The inquiry received 19 submissions but was unable to hold public hearings before the 2025 Federal election was called and has therefore made no findings or recommendations.

The variety of policy problems, solutions and actors in the housing policy space makes organising housing policy challenging. This research explores how changes to government administrative structures and processes affect housing policy in Australia. It outlines what can be done to reduce some of the negative impacts of these changes.

The report details Australia’s current housing demand, supply and affordability conditions, and the expectations for these over the coming years. It finds that housing affordability continued to deteriorate in 2024, with worsening trends across most capital cities and regional areas. It makes 15 policy recommendations in five key policy areas.

Restricting the number of investors in the housing market is possible if there is an increase in interest rates on investment loans. In 2017, this kind of regulation reduced house prices in Australia. This paper proposes that reintroducing this policy could, as interest rates fall, help make housing more affordable for owner-occupiers.

Nine years ago, the Royal Commission into Family Violence in Victoria tasked the Essential Services Commission with creating regulatory protections for utility customers affected by family violence. This paper outlines how an essential services safety by design framework can be applied to identify and mitigate safety risks related to domestic and financial abuse.