Incomes earned by those on the basic wage or just above have increased far less than house prices have increased, during the last 25 years, yet governments have largely withdrawn from providing housing for people encountering housing difficulties. Instead, writes John Wilkinson, they have turned to providing modest rent assistance to those on low incomes...

Sean McNelis argues that financial crises are endemic to Australian public housing and that public housing managers cannot trade-off affordability for financial viability. He concludes his analysis by proposing a solution to the current financial crisis.

Terry Burke challenges orthodox views of the relationship between the market and the state, between social housing provision and support, and between past housing needs and those of the future.

Mike Berry summarises the housing affordability picture and the forces driving the recent housing boom. He then addresses the policy challenge and looks at the way forward. He stresses that in order to make substantial advances in reducing housing stress related to declining affordability for at-risk groups, the states and Commonwealth must adequately and quickly...

Vivienne Milligan presents the views of national and international housing experts and stakeholders on ways to address the mounting housing affordability challenges that we face in Australia, as a result of the interaction of demographic shifts in our population structure and major economic, social and housing market changes.