✅ Plain-language lesson
Australia’s rental crisis isn’t caused by immigration or lazy tenants.
It’s caused by decades of policy favouring landlords over renters.
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Rent controls were removed.
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Public housing supply collapsed.
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Investors received tax subsidies.
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Wages stagnated.
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Short-term rentals, such as Airbnb, have reduced the long-term supply.
With fewer affordable options, rents exploded.
A functioning housing system would prioritise protecting renters over landlords’ profits.
✅ Discussion question
Who benefits most when rents rise faster than wages?