In an updated international comparative, our community dissatisfaction with "the housing situation" isn't that special.
New Zealanders are about as dissatisfied with housing as Americans - and a lot more satisfied than the Australians.
In fact, only the Turks are more dissatisfied with their housing markets than the Australians.
A new Gallup review shows where some OECD member countries stand and compare with others.
For many decades, the “Australian Dream” has been built upon the ideal of home ownership as a marker of progress, success and stability. It could be turning into something closer to a nightmare.
However, for now, people in Australia -- particularly younger adults of working age -- are historically dissatisfied with the availability of affordable housing in their local area.
Since Gallup started asking people worldwide about their satisfaction with the availability of good, affordable housing in 2006, the 16% satisfaction rate recorded among 18-to-34-year-olds in Australia is among the lowest totals ever measured. Other lows include Hong Kong in 2019 (11% of those aged 18 to 34 were satisfied), Mongolia in 2012 (12%), Iran in 2008 (13%) and Turkey in 2024 (15%).
In another marker of how widespread the malaise with Australia’s housing crisis has become, only a low 35% of people aged 65 and older are currently satisfied with the availability of affordable housing in their area, even though more than four in five own their own home.
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They aren't, there is a virtual flood of building companies falling into liquidation.
Australian exceptionalism is by and large a myth. Like Saudi, they have been blessed with minerals but there is a strong case to be made that they have managed this resource very poorly.
I was thinking of the 4 Trillion+ AUD of compulsory superannuation savings available, and being used, to underwrite a lot of their development.
You know, the opportunity we missed when Robert Muldoon killed off the fledgeling compulsory super scheme in 1975, with a blithe promise to pay superannuation from the consolidated fund.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/economy/ibrian-gaynori-how-muldoon-…
and
https://www.interest.co.nz/public-policy/131365/ross-stitt-describes-au…
A surprising feature of the data is that the saving rates of younger generations appear to be generally higher than those of the generations preceding them.
https://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/research-and-commentary/rangi…
On the other hand, Aussies are a bunch of whingers. Their news media is full of housing hardship stories, they're like NZ housing success stories but the opposite - almost always underemployed, broken family or retired on miniscule incomes.
And the young - they simply don't know how good they have it.
OTOH, the accommodation available for the young is currently under severe strain due to the ridiculous level of international students they've allowed (4% of the population) - and the government backed down on reigning that in due to lobbying by the tertiary industry.
There are currently 1 million international students in Australia, all of whom have come in post covid. Add to that another 1.7M with work visas, making up a total of 2.77m temporary visa holders currently in Australia. Thats what they get for voting a Labor Govt in.
"That's what they get for voting a labour government in"? Seems to me yeasty thinking is universal across the political spectrum, with the political right taking the prize in the race to the petri dish lid. That's certainly the case in NZ.
At least the left occasionally ask the question, "is growing the human plague a good idea?" The question is quickly forgotten when the whining from the business lobby and their media, along with pet politicians on the right promise more jobs, higher wages, better infrastucture and all sorts of other lollies. Meanwhile the overall quality of human life deteriorates in a collapsing biosphere.
I agree, both are equally pro-immigration. However it seems to me that recently the Left are practically implementing open border policies, rejecting nobody, thus resulting in record levels of immigration. They place no controls on it whatsoever - at least until the populace make it an election issue, as is happening in Australia at the moment. And even then the so-called "caps" on immigration that Albanese said they were implementing have not been adhered to.
Australia has relatively high wages compared to living costs, even though a pint is $25 in some establishments. It's exasperated further by a PAYG worker being able to claim expenses on taxes, unlike here.
NZ needs immigration but also wage growth, and we can't have both.
So much land in Australia. If we set aside regulations, zoning, and infrastructure costs, why not just keep subdividing land until quarter-acre sections drop below $50K? Land makes up half the cost of a build anyway. Then just throw up a 3-bed, 1-bath, 80m² kitset home with a septic tank and solar panels. Get a 4x4 ute to off-road. Way cheaper than a $750K townhouse on a tiny lot. Why isn’t this a thing? Cost of living crisis solved.
I suppose that not a lot of people want to live away from the costal regions in Aus, it's too hot further inland. As far as spreading out in the coastal regions, the same could be said for NZ, why isn't New Zealand housing spreading out more, there is so much unused land in NZ! The reason is zoning restrictions, etc. same issues as in NZ I would imagine
Good point @Palmtree08. And just to be clear, my comment wasn't a moral judgement call about whether it's right or wrong to build on land that's currently not "used" by humans, instead I was only trying to explain why it's not being used by humans. Part of this is obviously zoning restrictions (regardless of whether they are there for better or for worse).
Lots of land in America as well-and you don't need to settle for cheapy relocatables to find your 1st Home. In a Metro Region of 3.4 million the Metropolitan Commission has insured farmland can be converted to Residential as needed. Plans are set for 20 years out and then executed as promised. Examples: https://www.zillow.com/community/woodland-cove/29509932_plid/
https://www.zillow.com/home-builder-profile/m-i-homes/11531/minneapolis…
If you don’t also build the infrastructure to support the spread out population you get what’s know as urban sprawl. Car dependent houses without amenities nearby result in traffic jams at your nearest business district.
It’s orders of magnitude cheaper to in-fill, or build higher density closer in (but NIMBY obviously).
When building higher density the starting price for land is much higher, the structures are more expensive to construct per sq m and the existing infrastructure needs to be continuously upgraded to match the increased population (which is hard to do, because NIMBYs live there).
Most Aotearoans have no idea of the madness happening in Aussie.
Ratings agency S&P has told Australia’s big-spending state governments some will face credit downgrades for failing to rein in pandemic-era spending and focusing on vote-buying rather than saving money.
State and territory governments spent $212 billion more between 2020 and 2023 than their treasuries forecast in 2019, according to a new report led by S&P analyst Anthony Walker. This more than consumed a $146 billion unexpected boom in revenue that came in the same period, and drove debt higher.
Deloitte forecasts that state and federal government spending will hit a record 28 per cent of real GDP by the end of the year, up from the 22 per cent average in the decade before the pandemic. As a share of nominal GDP, government spending is on track to reach its highest level since 1986, excluding the pandemic.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/s-and-p-threatens-to-downgrade-state…
A financially prudent politician who treats public money like they do their own money is a rare thing indeed.
When debt goes up it is normal to have no plans whatsoever to pay it down in the near future. And on an individual project basis: to approve projects where there is no requirement to have good solid positive financial additional income coming in to pay down the debt.
One great example of this is the Auckland city rail link project financial disaster.
Their dissatisfaction comes from a place of higher expectations.
Ours has been terrible for so long that people see it a normal, people's baseline expectations are lower. A mouldy shitbox villa is normal here, not so much in Aussie. Plus we are having a massive crash so some are satisfied in the direction if not the current status.
I would ask how many Aussies are moving to New Zealand vs how many New Zealanders are moving to Aussie for better housing as a better measure of where each country is at.
A mouldy shitbox villa is normal here, not so much in Aussie. Plus we are having a massive crash so some are satisfied in the direction if not the current status.
Fair comment. The Aotearoa Ponzi appears to further down the road than its Aussie counterpart. However, that has certain psychological advantages for the Aotearoan: They may start questioning the 7-10 year universal truth force fed to them by the likes of Granny and Ashley Church and amplified at their respective water coolers and BBQs. They start to understand how it all works relative to money supply expansion, etc
However, I think that there's still a deluded idea that everything is milk and honey in Australia, even though Aussies themselves are fully tapped out. In real terms, Aussie wages are at 2010 levels and disposable income is well below OECD comparable economies. Furthermore, Australia has experienced the largest collapse of real household income per capita in the developed world over the past year.
https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2025/01/its-official-australians-face-…
Different States are performing differently. QLD and WA is booming, while VIC housing market is collapsing, and NSW is not too far behind it.
Australia currently has a rental market crisis due to the 2.77m immigrants that have come in post Covid, and the Jacinda-style new tenancy laws that are seeing an exodus of investment properties from the market (particularly in Victoria, where that is combined with a slather of new taxes on investment property).
If you want to buy a cheap house, head to Melbourne. Tons for sale, mostly all ex-rentals, prices collapsing.
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/melbourne-home-prices-300-suburbs-lo…
You know why JC, COAL/GAS.
WA and Queensland digging it out of the ground so when all our uni students protest about climate change and how hard it is to get a good paying job and run off to OZ their wages a either directly or in directly linked to mining. Wether a Doc in Sydney or a nurse in Melborne the two states WA and Queensland pay a 60 dollar royalty to the federal govt ever rail cart that goes to port. The the state govts beg from the federal govt for more money. WA and Queensland are starting to protest this saying they want more oc that royalty to be spent in their states
Well described. Despite mining royalties, the state govts are in a parlous state in terms of debt. You can only ask why this is. Suspect that if DOGE were applied at the state and federal levels, you would find inefficiencies and rorting beyond your wildest imagination.
I've been sounding like a broken record in these comments saying that Australia is not the "greener pastures" that New Zealanders think when it comes to affordable housing. That imagined "greener grass" in Aus is literally yellow, I am in Australia now (family lives here) and can testify to this fact:)
In the light of this article, I guess one could say that those who move to Aus are statistically more likely to be unhappy with housing there than those who are in New Zealand, despite better salaries in Australia.
It probably depends a lot on age and stage though. Mid-career, qualified, bit of cash behind, seems a no-brainer.
Young - I recommend for the job opportunities available from the much better range of industry qualifications available.
But you gotta be prepared to work. Aus is pretty cut-throat compared to NZ. Just because there is well-paid work available doesn't mean it's being handed out like candy.
But these are just my own observations.
Those are good points @Chaosinflash. Ultimately a move to a bigger economy like Aus can be very beneficial to one's progress in life. However, it should not be romanticised as much as it is. Fact is, a good argument can be made for staying in NZ to become a "bigger fish in a smaller pond" than a "smaller fish in a bigger pond". But regardless of which pond it is, it's likely that when it comes to housing costs (especially Sydney) one might be less satisfied in Aus, as the article points out.
There is more choice in Australia as to where you live as well. If you cant afford Sydney you could move to Melbourne and still have a great deal of work opportunities both in the public and private sectors. If you cant afford Melbourne you could move to Brisbane. If you cant afford Brisbane you could move to Perth. And so on. Not to mention you could work out of the satellite cities (Central Coast, Geelong, Gold/Sunshine Coasts) and still be close to the action of the main cities and within commuting distance. In NZ there is not much choice - if you work for a big corporate its Auckland, if Govt its Wellington, if neither then Christchurch is an option.
No one is saying that we should consider it a good thing! :)
The point is that as we whinge and whine about our hosing problems and as people recommend that the solution is to move overseas (Aus mainly), we should be realistic and realise that Aus has similar housing issues, and so do many other developed countries around the world.
Aus has similar housing issues
Only because they also are also running immigration at higher than sensible levels too. Housing levels cannot change quickly, population can change quickly and we're stupid enough on both sides of the Tasman to allow it. A housing issue is mold or something, this is a population [growth rate] issue.
I thought most on here said that Australia was the place for go for cheaper housing?
As I have kept saying Australia housing is more expensive than Here!
Hope this stops people from saying that things are better in Oz, as it isnt!
Great for holidaying but if you want to get a financially and you have the correct mindset and are prepared to work , then you will do well in NZ.
Moaning and groaning will get you nowhere, and still possible to invest in Nz if you get in front if financially successful people who have just done it.
As it's been said many times before it's still easier in most places to buy housing with Australian incomes than it is here. This is what matters to Kiwis. Even if you don't buy a house there you can save more and bring it back if you want.
Just because this survey says that Australians are more dissatisfied it doesn't actually mean it's worse there.
The Australian equities markets are at record highs. Their Banks are doing well and even their retailers are recovering as Australians start to spend again. Our equities market is not going that great as we are in a deep recession and our retailers are certainly struggling. Those who go to Australia if they have a trade or profession and have experience they will generally do well. Their housing might not be cheaper but when you earn more it will be easier to buy that very important first home.
Maccy B does a piece on why Aotearoans are fleeing to Aussie, the land of milk and honey
https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2025/02/why-kiwis-are-fleeing-to-austr…
This is a genuine problem, even I notice that the calibre of the average Kiwi is noticeably deteriorating using professional and social measures.
We literally swap our best for our worst with Australia, it's a rotten human balance of payments deficit. The perception that the ambitious have to leave to succeed is going to doom us long-term. We'll be left with Qtown and surrounds, Waiheke Is. and several beach communities in the NI as the last bastions of aspiration & international appeal. The rest will be like The Road.
We literally swap our best for our worst with Australia,
Frankly speaking, I think the opportunities are greater in Aussie, but it all depends on what you have to offer. I think the days of being unskilled but willing to learn / work hard in the mining industry are numbered. Job growth in Aussie has been recently all about public sector, and that is a closed shop for Aotearoans to some degree. Of course, if you're a nurse, copper or teacher, plenty of opportunities.
The only thing closed to New Zealanders is working for the Federal Govt, although you can now join their military services. However, citizenship is now obtainable after 4 years, so you can make do with working for one of the State Govts until you get it. Additionally, depending on the skills you possess, the Federal Govt is able to fast track citizenship for job applicants.
There is so much infrastructure work going on there that there are plenty of opportunities outside of mining.
The only thing closed to New Zealanders is working for the Federal Govt
As an employee? I did work as a consultant at few government departments in Canberra without issue, although I would have had to get some security clearance for the federal police...but we didn't proceed as it turned so I never crossed that bridge.
Young Aussies in particular will be feeling bitter about Super tax increases. The largest intergenerational tax in recent memory, disproportionately impacting young adults, teenagers and children.
The Senate is scheduled this week to vote on the government’s proposed superannuation tax increase, which targets balances of more than $3 million.
The government’s pitch that this tax will impact a tiny minority is misleading. In truth, it is set to be one of the largest intergenerational tax changes in recent memory, disproportionately impacting young adults, teenagers and children by an unprecedented factor well beyond the generations of either Anthony Albanese or Jim Chalmers.
https://www.afr.com/policy/tax-and-super/albanese-s-super-tax-will-hurt…
You have to ask what exactly Albanese expected in dramatically increasing inward migration when housing was already unaffordable? The media should be asking him whether he intended to further drive up house prices or was simply unaware that increasing demand would have this effect? The same thing has been seen in New Zealand and Canada.
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