Over the last two decades new and significant demographic, economic, social and environmental changes and challenges have shaped the production and consumption of housing in Australia and the policy settings that attempt to guide these processes. These changes and challenges, as outlined in this book, are many and varied. While these issues are new they raise timeless questions around affordability, access, density, quantity, type and location of housing needed in Australian towns and cities. The studies presented in this text also provide a unique insight into a range of housing production, consumption and policy issues that, while based in Australia, have implications that go beyond this national context. For instance how do suburban-based societies adjust to the realities of aging populations, anthropogenic climate change and the significant implications such change has for housing? How has policy been translated and assembled in specific national contexts? Similarly, what are the significantly different policy settings the production and consumption of housing in a post-Global Financial Crisis period require? Framed in this way this book accounts for and responds to some of the key housing issues of the 21st century.
'This outstanding collection of essays by some of the best known scholars in the field provides an incisive diagnosis of the causes of Australia's housing affordability crisis and its implications. I have no doubt that the book will provide an essential resource for social policy researchers and practitioners for many years to come.' Keith Jacobs, University of Tasmania, Australia 'Strongly reflecting the vitality of Australia's housing studies community and encompassing a wide range of current housing-related policy debates, this topical collection helps to plug what has been a yawning gap in the nation's urban planning literature. As many contributions chime with live policy discussions in comparator countries, this text will also be of interest to academics and others outwith Australia.' Hal Pawson, University of New South Wales, Australia
