New research has revealed Australia’s housing barriers are changing the traditional life course many young people are expected to follow.

Apartment defects continue to be a problem in Australia as builders prioritise cost over safety. Our research shows there are ways they can do both.

Rental technology platforms force renters to pay for costly background checks, collect too much personal data and use opaque algorithms to ‘score’ applicants.

We asked thousands of people what issues are most important to them. While the top priorities are the same as in 2022, if we look a bit deeper, what Australians care about is shifting.

Housing minister Chris Bishop says removing minimum dwelling size rules will deliver homes that are “bigger than a car”. But tiny houses might be a short-term solution that causes long-term issues.

Progress on housing policy has been patchy, in part because there’s no national plan guiding efforts to address homelessness. A bill currently in front of parliament could fix this.

Current construction approaches are too slow to achieve the ambitious national housing target. But there’s a proven alternative building technology that’s more efficient, faster and greener.

After natural disasters, temporary accommodation is often an option for those affected. Why isn’t the same happening with Australia’s housing crisis?

While there is no simple answer to the question, our experts all agree Australia has a serious problem when it comes to racism.

Slashing the permanent migration intake will do little to help manage population growth and may well make building more homes even harder.

The budget will respond to the deepening public agitation over Australia’s housing shortages by pouring new money into crisis accommodation for women and children, social housing and infrastructure.

New Zealand was mostly stable in key international rankings and domestic socio-economic measures. But there are signs of slippage in some areas and not enough progress in others.

If the cause of the mould is related to the design and construction of the house, rental providers should act.

The government has made housing a federal policy priority after a decade of neglect. But the scale of the housing crisis means its actions to date are just a start – much more must be done.

The government will take steps to reduce the number of student visas being used as work visas, while also shortening graduate visas and reducing the eligible age.