As Australia’s housing crisis continues to worsen, the Albanese government has been accused of prioritising property investors over those facing serious financial stress and homelessness.

The 2026 Report on Government Services shows 41 per cent of people waiting to get into public housing are homeless or at risk of homelessness – up from 26 per cent in 2015.

However, while the Commonwealth provided $12.3 billion in tax breaks to property investors in 2025, it spent only $9.6 billion on social housing, homelessness services and rent assistance combined.

“This report shows housing stress and homelessness are getting worse while absurdly generous tax breaks drive up home prices and supercharge inequality in our society,” Australian Council of Social Service acting CEO Jacqueline Phillips said.

Those tax breaks are increasingly being blamed for locking first-home buyers out of the housing market while investors accumulate multiple properties.

“The Australian government has been very successful in helping investors buy their third, fourth, and 10th house. Now 1 per cent of taxpayers own a quarter of all investment properties,” Australia Institute senior economist Matt Grudnoff........

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