Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over the last couple of months, my office has hosted a wonderfully capable young man, George Baker, while he prepared a report, under the South Australian Parliamentary Internship Program. George's report is a 5,000-word thesis on one of Australia's most pressing issues—the housing crisis. It focuses particularly on my electorate and solutions that we need. Calling on data from the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation in 2022, George found that the August 2016 median house price of $442,000 across selected towns had increased by 63 per cent in August 2022 to $724,000. This is not restricted to Mayo. We know this happens right across the country.

George identified a number of strategies to fix the housing crisis, including addressing social housing stock, the National Rental Affordability Scheme, reform of capital gains and incentivising building more housing stock. He also looked at overseas models such as Japan, Singapore, Germany and the Netherlands. I commend this report to the parliament and in tabling it call on all members to take the time to read and absorb this, particularly how it can assist other areas in regional Australia. I look forward to working with my local community to make this report a reality. I seek leave to table this report.

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