"Australia’s five most powerful property people in 2025." www.afr.com/property/com...

The ACT has legislated housing to be a human right. Zoning that restricts housing should be considered a denial of human rights. Hopefully it will be outlawed. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

I spoke at the Victorian Liberal Party State Conference on housing policy. I argued that the push to allow more housing should be bipartisan. Here’s my speech: www.spectator.com.au/2025/09/aust...

I discuss housing on @joshzepps's “Uncomfortable Conversations”. First hour is free on most podcast platforms. Second hour (tbh, less provocative) requires inexpensive subscription. uncomfortableconversations.substack.com/p/has-home-o...

Victoria allows more homes, www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

It is fantastic to see Clare O’Neil and the Federal Government increasingly on-message about the housing crisis. The Minns and Allen governments are undertaking some of the most meaningful and ambitious housing reforms in decades. Federal Government backing is crucial— 🧵

Two upzonings in British Columbia. Kelowna delivered a big increase in construction but Coquitlam did not. Because Coquitlam also imposed red tape, parking requirements, etc. A reason for setting targets for completions, not theoretical "capacity". www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... 1/3

Today we @yimby.melbourne drop our new research note, demonstrating the bias of opt-in community consultation. It will shock no one who’s paying attention, but our sample of 15 consults across six councils found a massive overrepresentation of homeowners and older folk.

How do we get an evidence-based discussion of housing policy? We make two steps forward (Minns’ and Bishop’s great speeches this week). Then @chriswallace.bsky.social publishes this muck, contradicted by the available research. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topi...

Chris Minns and Chris Bishop argue for more housing in NSW and NZ. youtu.be/mhoJNpmNTIo?...

Strathfield, the best-serviced suburban station in Australia, may finally get a proper amount of housing around it? A 43 storey tower in the pipeline to the south. It's crazy it's just detached houses 2 min walk away to the north. From the Housing Delivery Authority's August minutes.

60 Alderley residents complain that replacing a tyre store and plumbing supply shop with 400 homes will harm neighbourhood character. A thread by @grugstan.bsky.social

A forum on housing policy with Chris Minns and Chris Bishop. Tuesday 26 August. 5:30pm New venue: Intercontinental Hotel, Sydney. Tickets here: www.cis.org.au/event/housin...

Rule 78: Put Street Trees Almost Everywhere Street trees do it all, they... Cut crashes by 45% Raise home values 9% Boost retail sales 12% Clean air, cool streets, absorb stormwater, improve health, and make places more inviting Walkable City Rules www.amazon.com/Walkable-Cit...

Another example of why housing is unaffordable. Look at the photo. Residents want “preservation of heritage” standing in front of a vacant lot. This site is a 13 minute bus trip to the CBD – an ideal site for 150 new dwellings. 1/3

Stop the free ride: all motorists should pay their way, whatever vehicle they drive theconversation.com/...

The Problem With Left-Wing NIMBYism

It is common for NIMBYs to give absurd reasons for opposing new housing. Because they know their real reasons are unattractive.

Statement from the largest economics association about the BLS firing As context: AEA approximately never makes such public statements This is a big deal

The Queensland Productivity Commission joins the YIMBYs. Welcome! qpc.qld.gov.au/docs/constru...

A very good essay by Zac Gross on the lessons we can take from the recent reforms to the Reserve Bank of Australia for the reform process more generally stephenkirchner.substack.com/cp/169438061

Key numbers for the productivity summit. An extra dollar's worth of resources put into most industries creates about $1 of value. An extra dollar put into building homes creates $1.60 of value in Sydney and $1.24 of value in Melbourne. productivity.nsw.gov.au/building-mor... 1/2

Richard, as requested, here is my attempt to explain that planning restrictions are behind the crisis. www.cis.org.au/wp-content/u.... I cite dozens of other accounts. Could you please point me to one coherent explanation that the tax system substantially boosts the cost of housing.

Used cars are cheap because of new cars. Day-old bread it half price because of fresh bread. This has been a housing policy post.

The ABC has a very good, long article on NIMBY vs YIMBY by Gina Rushton. I think it captures the main issues at stake. One clarification: The NIMBYs are actually two disjoint groups, united by their opposition to new housing. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07... 1/4

This is a very good video on the values and trade-offs in urban design. From a YIMBY perspective.

Persuasive evidence-based speeches on housing policy by local councillors are rare. This is a good one. "The Left Case for YIMBY" By Philippa Scott of Inner West Council. www.sydney.yimby.au/blog/the-lef...

A great ABC show on Sydney YIMBY. A clear and accessible explanation of what the YIMBYs are about. youtu.be/TS5HuijPvho?...

The City of Sydney just introduced new net dwelling retention controls to stop old apartment buildings from being demolished and replaced with fewer large apartments. A well-intentioned move — but it could make the housing crisis worse. Here’s why:

Fantastic piece from Shane Wright highlighting how well-intended planning rules can make us all poorer 👇 www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...

The RBA will publish votes on monetary policy decisions -- a welcome improvement in transparency. But votes will not be attributed, so it does not provide accountability. 1/2 theaustralian.com.au/nation/econo...

Did you know there's an abandoned half-built station in the eastern suburbs? @sydney.yimby.au have launched a petition to have Woollarah Station finally built. The population in that area has been going backwards so it's a great opportunity for more TOD. supporthousingcode.good.do/station/wool...

Economists support high uniform land taxes because that helps to allocate land to its most valuable use. Rosehill racecourse is a good example. If it were fairly taxed, commensurate with its $5billion market value, it would be sold off for housing. @sydney.yimby.au

Planning for more homes will create a better capital city. Our housing experts Matthew Bowes and Brendan Coates explain: buff.ly/9Kkiav3

Wealthy Roseville homeowners are asking for “minimum $1000 per household” to fight a block of flats. This is callous and unfair. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/ros... 1/2

Big news on housing policy in the ACT, which is proposing to allow low-rise flats and townhouses in its most restrictive residential zone. Previously, apartments and townhouses were effectively banned on 80% of Canberra’s residential land. www.abc.net.au/news/...

A bit over 4 years ago an encounter with a local NIMBY group, opposing an awful, radical, terrifying... manor house quadplex, got me agitated enough to actually do something about the future of my city. They called the proposal "the thin edge of the wedge". Well, they got that right.

Imo trees make the biggest difference to street quality, not architecture

Victoria’s planning reforms will help solve the housing crisis. But they’re under threat. Brendan Coates, Joey Moloney, and Matthew Bowes explain why these policies shouldn’t be killed off. #springst #housing #ausecon #auspol buff.ly/WrHAKP8

Rose Bay residents wiping away their tears with fat wads of cash. As usual it's the richest, most entitled parts of the country coming up with all sorts of excuses to prevent people getting housing. www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...

Housing policy was central to the federal election. But when it comes to building more homes, it is state planning reforms - like those that are underway in Victoria - that could really shift the dial. Our latest for The Conversation outlines why they matter. theconversation.com/...

"Disunity is death" One more assumption of the political class discredited by the election. Dutton imposed unity at the cost of internal debate, leading to policy failure. Albo and Plibersek had a public falling out just before the election and no one cared. #auspol

There’s been discussion about whether a US-influenced ‘abundance’ agenda on infrastructure + housing applies to Australia, where our cities seem much less sclerotic. But in part, this is a sign of how often we exempt projects from ‘normal’ legal review and planning processes. 🧵

As in other democracies, Australian politics is realigning. It used to be rich vs poor. No longer. Now it is cities vs country. The Coalition has won 5 out of the top 50 highest-income electorates and 8 out of 88 metropolitan electorates. But they remain strong elsewhere. 1/4

I agree with @brendan-coates.bsky.social: "Labor is more likely to boost the rate of home ownership." It does this by encouraging buyers to make risky one-way bets, gambling with taxpayers' money. Super for housing is a more prudent, lower-cost way to overcome the deposit hurdle.

There remains absolutely zero evidence that such policies improve affordability, and decent evidence they do the opposite, and yet they remain "best practice" in the pseudoscientific world of housing policy.

A microcosm of the housing debate: Shelter for 1,185 families versus shadows on a few dozen properties. Local councils represent the few dozen, so say No. Central governments need to intervene on behalf of the 1,185. www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...

Good thing some people thought up some housing policies that might actually help.

I discuss super for housing on ABC TV’s the Business, from 1:30 to 4:30 iview.abc.net.au/video/NC2506...

The RBA goes out of its way to avoid informing us what it may do. This seems to reflect an inability to think clearly. They should draw some lines on a chart, with confidence intervals, like other central banks. That would be simpler and clearer. www.crikey.com.au/2025/04/16/r...