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One of the biggest drivers of inequality in Australia is housing – and Australian unions are at the forefront of policy solutions to fix our country’s housing crisis that has been decades in the making.

On 19 August, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) will host a housing summit in Canberra. At the heart of the summit will be workers’ stories – including from FSU members – along with discussions with the Federal Housing Minister about the evidence for real and meaningful reform.

The Federal Government has already introduced generational tax reforms to begin rebalancing the scales when it comes to housing – including changes to negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount, which have favoured property investors for too long and left ordinary workers behind.

But more needs to be done, including better protections for renters.

FSU member Jimmy Whitfield, who will attend the summit, said he believed Australians needed to reframe how they view housing and its purpose.

“We need to re-prioritise and accept that housing is a human right,” said Jimmy.

“If we don’t have secure, safe and affordable housing in this country, then there will continue to be so many people who never get the opportunity to even begin to set themselves up for retirement, let alone begin to get into investments, because they’re struggling and paying so much of their income just to keep themselves off the street.”

Jimmy, who hopes to buy an apartment one day, said the “financialisation” of the housing market had turned it into an “investment game, rather than accepting it as an important part of life and the social contract that everybody deserves”.

He also said strengthening renters’ rights is something that is desperately needed.

“Renters are scared to complain about issues about their properties, which can leave lasting consequences to your health, like black mould or poor insulation.

“We need serious protections to make sure our renters are safe […] and have a secure place to live that isn't going to be taken out from under them when they’re forced to pay hundreds more per week.”

While the Federal Government’s recent tax reforms do begin to untangle the Howard-era tax settings that drove house prices up more than 400% (almost twice as fast as wages), it’s going to take a long time to right the scales – and there is still a lot more to do.

Australian unions will keep pushing for stronger renters’ rights and more public housing to ensure greater housing affordability and stability.

What’s on the agenda for the ACTU’s housing summit?

• Media event introducing union housing goals and workers’ stories
• Worker panel on the housing crisis
• In‑conversation session with Housing Minister Clare O’Neil, including discussion with worker panelists
• Expert roundtable setting out the evidence for increased public housing investment, stronger renters’ rights and fairer tax settings.