A recent report by the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees raised concerns about the erosion of retirement income by ongoing rental or mortgage payments. The report by the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees is timely, given the Australian aged pension system is predicated on an assumption of outright home-ownership. Yet increasing numbers of people are...

This discussion paper reviews the major themes in policy, public debate and the published literature on the role of local governments in the housing sphere in Australia in the 21st Century. It has been produced as one output associated with the Australian Research Council’s Linkage project, Local Government and Housing in the 21st Century (LP...

Victoria’s population is ageing and causing significant growth in demand for retirement housing. At the same time, residents have heightened expectations about the services that will be delivered. This creates a range of challenges for government and industry, and also prompted significant public interest in this Inquiry. It’s important for the Victorian Government to ensure...

The average housing costs of older (65-plus) outright homeowners in lone-person households were A$38 a week in 2013-14, the Australian Bureau of Statistics calculated, compared to $103 for older social housing tenants and $232 for older private renters. Fortunately, over the last several decades almost all Australians who depend on the age pension for their...

Context - Minimum thermal performance standards for residential building envelopes have been increasing in many countries for several decades, addressing concerns about occupant comfort, operational costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Simulation tools play a role in assessing the space heating/cooling load of new buildings and for evaluating options for systematic retrofitting of exisiting dwellings. The...