Australia’s Housing Dream Crumbles Under Satirical Spotlight
Comedian Mark Humphries Tackles Affordability Crisis in New Special
The relentless barrage of property news and reality TV often masks the stark realities of Australia’s housing crisis. Comedian Mark Humphries dives headfirst into this national obsession in his new Foxtel and Binge special, “Sold! Who Broke the Australian Dream?”.
Unpacking the Myths
As a long-term renter himself, Humphries brings a genuine frustration to his investigation. He aims to dissect the history, economic policies, and popular narratives that have contributed to the current unaffordability. The special challenges common scapegoats like foreign investment and immigration, with experts suggesting their impact is minimal.
“I have heard people tell me that there’s a lot of foreign investors and they go to auctions for instance and that’s how they know,” says Professor Nicole Gurran of the University of Sydney, recounting common assumptions. “I’m always amazed at their X-ray vision, to be able to recognise someone’s citizenship just by looking.”
The program also highlights the dire conditions faced by renters, with Humphries speaking to individuals enduring substandard housing. In a nod to “The Big Short,” economic journalist Alan Kohler is humorously featured in a bubble bath, explaining how the Howard government’s policies around capital gains tax discounts and negative gearing “supercharged the perceived benefits of owning property.”
“Housing was no longer seen as just a shelter, a place to live. It was also an investment and the best way to build wealth.”
—Alan Kohler, Economics Journalist
Challenging Perceptions
Humphries encounters a range of perspectives, from those in public housing to squatters occupying vacant homes. He also meets an investor who challenges the “heartless boomer” stereotype, subtly suggesting that empathy and social consciousness aren’t mutually exclusive with property ownership, pointing to her reading material as evidence.
By exploring innovative solutions like 3D-printed homes, the special suggests that addressing the crisis might be less complex than often portrayed. The program underscores a fundamental issue: Australia’s perception of property as a primary wealth-building tool rather than essential shelter.
As Humphries concludes, his exasperation is palpable: “I gotta be honest, this is not good enough. It’s a mindset issue we have in this country, where we are viewing property as a pathway to wealth as opposed to something which is designed for people to live in … this is wrong – it’s actually *morally* wrong what we’re doing. So get angry about it, because I bloody well am.”
While his investigation may have irked real estate agents, Humphries‘ passionate plea resonates, highlighting the urgent need for a societal shift in how housing is valued. Australia’s housing affordability situation remains critical, with new data from the Reserve Bank of Australia indicating that mortgage repayments now consume a larger portion of household income than at any point since 2008 (Source: Reserve Bank of Australia, June 2024).
