Australians Can’t Buy Homes while Austria Embraces Lifelong Renters, by Isabella Higgins and Rhiannon Hobbins

In short:

People are feeling pressured to buy unaffordable homes, or forced to live with no stability amongst rocketing rental prices.

In this excellent article by Isabella Higgins and Rhiannon Hobbins highlighting Australia’s growing issues in long-term renting, the Messenger family demonstrate how economic pressure and rising housing prices are impacting the chances of home ownership, especially for younger generations.

Contrasting Australia’s housing and renting situations to Austria’s in Vienna, where nearly half of the population lives in long-term and secure social housing, they highlight further the failings and pressures of the Australian property market.

See the full and original article here.

In detail:

Even with well-paid jobs, the Messenger’s are unable to save enough for a home deposit for them and their two children. They recognise the need for secure housing options outside of private rentals or home ownership.

“Up until, I guess, about six years ago, I’d never lived in a home, any home in my life for more than two years.
I recognise how disruptive that can be growing up.”

Sally Messenger

Many (of the younger generations particularly) “can’t afford” a house deposit in the eyes of banks and lenders, despite sometimes paying more than the minimum requirements in rent. This is forcing more Australians to become long-term renters as property ownership is further monopolised to developers and investors, rather than prioritised for those who just want stable living of their own.

Older generations feel the effects of this too; Sally’s parent’s were forced to sell their home during the 90’s recession and have been stuck in this same cycle since. As older generations’ incomes and pensions struggle to keep up with demands, those who never owned their homes or were forced to sell them under economic pressures find themselves in similar dilemmas.

This is, fundamentally, a failing of the Australia’s governance over the housing market and home ownership regulations. Our country has not developed adequate protections and options for long-term renting, and has failed to prevent the monopolisation of housing.

Compare this to Vienna, where:

• nearly 50% of the population lives in social housing,
• rents are capped at 30% of income,
• tenants often have lifelong housing contracts,
• and social housing is not only destigmatised, but desirable.

Austria began investing in and building public housing to combat homelessness after World War 1, and since has committed to large-scale housing reforms to further housing stability for its people. Public housing is built by the government, and ‘affordable housing’ (see our issues with this term here) is built by profit-limited associations, that must reinvest profits back into the housing infrastructure.

Australia can learn a lot from Austria’s housing model, and there must be a re-evaluation of Australia’s private and public housing policies.

See the full article and original post here.

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ABC News:
abc.net.au/news
ABC News, Isabella Higgins:
abc.net.au/news/isabella-higgins/7079282
ABC News, Rhiannon Hobbins:
abc.net.au/news/rhiannon-hobbins/102678234
Isabella Higgins & Rhiannon Hobbins, ABC News, While Australians feel the pressure to buy a home this Austrian city embraces lifelong renters, Article:
abc.net.au/news/2025-11-08/forever-renters-want-solutions-experts-say-look-at-vienna/105977338
This article summary was written by a volunteer of FAIN.
FAIN (Fight Against Inequality Network Inc.) is a not-for-profit organisation. Excerpts as found in and sourced from the original article have been used with correct attribution and inline with ABC News’ terms of use for non-commercial use. Please contact us if there is a dispute.