Housing News Digest
Housing News Digest
The Tenants' Union Housing News Digest compiles our pick of items from all the latest tenancy and housing media, sent once per week, on Thursdays.
Below is the Digest archive from November 2020 onwards. From time to time you will find additional items in the archive that did not make it into the weekly Digest email. Earlier archives are here, where you can also find additional digests by other organisations.
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Archive
Public housing tenant blocked from own backyard, as disability advocates say accessibility an 'afterthought'
Hayden Smith ABC (No paywall)For two years and four months, Sharryn Johns has felt robbed of her freedom. But when she first moved into her Launceston public housing property in late 2017, the born-and-raised Tasmanian — who requires an electric wheelchair — felt right at home. "I loved it," the 51-year-old said. "I had a massive, big backyard … I could use my wheelchair here." However, her quality of life took a "frustrating" turn for the worse after an "extreme" black mould problem emerged. Alternative accommodation was arranged for Ms Johns while remedial plumbing work took place. But when she finally returned, she found she could no longer access her backyard.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-09/tasmania-public-housing-d…
# Must read Australia, Public and community housing, Rent, Repairs.Margaret River to survey homeless population as housing crisis bites holiday hotspot
Georgia Loney ABC (No paywall)One of Australia's top holiday hotspots has been told it must prove it has a homelessness problem — despite entire families living in tents and caravans. Margaret River, about 270 kilometres south of Perth, has been described as a playground for the wealthy, with multi-million-dollar properties sitting alongside its famous wineries and surf breaks. But the Shire of Augusta Margaret River believes the area's perceived wealth is a barrier to support for a serious housing shortage and homelessness problem.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-10/homeless-survey-margaret-…
# Australia, Public and community housing.Legal service warns of unequal flood support for Aboriginal communities in NT’s Big Rivers region
Dechlan Brennan National Indigenous Times (No paywall)One of the country's largest Indigenous legal services has called on the Commonwealth and Northern Territory governments to "urgently fix glaring inequities and failures" in the emergency response to flooding across the Big Rivers region. Centred on Katherine, the region — home to 23 Aboriginal communities — has, along with other parts of the NT, experienced significant flooding. According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), more than 100 millimetres of rain fell overnight in Mataranka and Katherine, with Katherine experiencing its worst flooding since 1998.
https://nit.com.au/10-03-2026/23094/legal-service-warns-of-unequ…
# Must read Australia, Disasters.https://www.msn.com/en-au/money/homeandproperty/15-ideas-from-around-the-world-to-solve-the-housing-crisis/ss-AA1XBwam
Alicia Delay MSN ()A major housing shortage paired with a lack of affordable housing is causing a crisis in countries around the globe. Different nations and cities are coming up with unqiue solutions. Here’s a look at 15 ideas to help solve the housing crisis.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/money/homeandproperty/15-ideas-from-ar…
# International, .Obeid family loses control of $30m worth of Sydney properties after one of NSW's 'most brazen acts of corruption'
Shannon Corvo and Emily Laurence ABC (No paywall)After investigations spanning a decade, the NSW Crime Commission says it has taken control of more than $30 million worth of properties linked to former state Labor politician Eddie Obeid. Commission lawyers attended a closed Supreme Court hearing on Friday to secure an order restraining all interests in property of the Obeid Corporation. They secured caveats over a number of properties at Bankstown, in south-west Sydney, which they said were "hidden assets" being "held within complex trusts".
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-07/obeid-family-lose-control…
# Hot topic NSW, .Rents fall in 499 suburbs - but nearly 10 times as many are up
Sophie Foster realestate.com.au (No paywall)Rents have fallen in 499 suburbs nationwide, but the tiny glimmer of relief is drowned out by 10 times as many still rising. Revised figures provided by PropTrack on Wednesday show 499 of close to 6,000 suburbs surveyed recorded annual rent declines to February – or 8.3 per cent of those with 10 or more rental listings in the past year. A further 352 suburbs (5.9 per cent) saw rents flatline with zero annual growth, but the overwhelming trend was rises for 81.8 per cent of the total. The falls were spread across every mainland capital and regional market.
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/shock-as-rents-fall-in-almost…
# Hot topic Australia, Rent, Starting a tenancy.This article is more than 9 months old Blow to Minns as turf club votes down plan to sell Sydney racecourse to NSW to build 25,000 homes
Anne Davies The Guardian (No paywall)The Minns government has had a major hole punched in its strategy to boost housing in Sydney after the Australian Turf Club members voted not to sell Rosehill racecourse, earmarked for a major housing development. The New South Wales government had offered $5bn for the site, and proposed it would accommodate 25,000 new homes and a proposed Metro stop. The proposal would have made a significant contribution towards the NSW target of 337,000 new dwellings by 2029 that NSW has pledged under the national housing accord.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/27/rosehill-…
# NSW, .Macquarie turns the screws on CBA in $85b rental payments market
Michael Bleby Australian Financial Review (Paywall)Macquarie Bank has launched an ambitious bid for a bigger share of the $85 billion-a-year rental payments business at the expense of rivals including the Commonwealth Bank through a cheaper, fee-free option for renters who are typically slugged surcharges on their monthly payments. It is the second time this week that Macquarie has squared up to the nation’s biggest lender after its chief executive Shemara Wikramanayake told CBA CEO Matt Comyn at The Australian Financial Review Business Summit to “bring it on” over competition in the home loans business.
https://www.afr.com/property/residential/macquarie-turns-the-scr…
# Hot topic Australia, .