Every night, around 30,000 young people in Australia are without a safe place to sleep.
Services like @youthfutures are overwhelmed, and we see firsthand how the national housing crisis is hitting the most vulnerable young Australians hardest.
And yet in the lead up to the 3 May @federalelection both our major parties’ housing policies still fall drastically short of meeting the escalating demand.
Labor’s $20B housing plan sounds bold compared to the Coalition’s $5B. But here’s the reality:
● Labor’s proposal will deliver just 12,500 new homes a year while we’re already 50,000+ homes short annually behind the National Housing Accord target of 1.2 million homes in five years.
● The Coalition’s promise of 500,000 new homes from $5B equates to $10K per house, when real infrastructure costs are closer to $100K.
Meanwhile:
● Youth homelessness continues to climb.
● Apprenticeships are failing young people — the construction industry can’t scale up because apprenticeships are underfunded, outdated, and completion rates are plummeting.
If we’re serious about addressing the housing crisis — especially for young people — we need to invest in real, long-term solutions.
That means:
✔️Young people-specific housing and crisis accommodation.
✔️ At least $5B/year to subsidise infrastructure and build supply.
✔️ Getting more young people into sustainable apprenticeships in the construction industry.
This federal election is a chance to reset the conversation. We must demand more than just first home buyer grants — we need a real plan to boost housing supply, properly fund training pathways, and invest in solutions that address youth homelessness head-on.
Housing is a human right, not a privilege. Let’s keep youth homelessness on the agenda.
