What Australia might learn from countries that have decided housing is more than just an investment.I've been thinking about affordable housing for quite some time now.It started with my own experienc…
I've been writing quite a bit lately about affordable housing, and the more I look into the subject, the more questions I seem to have.One of those questions concerns the rules around rent increases i…
I read an ABC report recently about evidence given to a Senate inquiry by NAB chief economist Dr Sally Auld.What caught my attention wasn't simply the suggestion that Australia's housing problems coul…
Looking back at buying homes in Britain and New Zealand — and wondering how mortgages became what they are todayI have been thinking about mortgages lately.Not because I am looking to buy another hom…
One of the questions I hear most often from people heading into retirement is this: now that I'm no longer working, do I still need private health insurance? Or can I just rely on Medicare?It's a fair…
Here's the complete picture for Tasmania — and it has some genuinely good news compared to the rest of the country.Tasmania's unique advantage: the cheapest regulated prices in the NEMThe independent …
The big NT difference: effectively one retailer, government-regulated pricesThis is the most important thing to understand upfront. In the NT, all electricity plans strictly abide by the rates and pri…
The Olympics effect on host city housing is well documented, and it's rarely good for ordinary residents.What history tells usEvery recent Olympics has caused significant housing disruption:Barcelona …
Great question — let's run the numbers properly using the Brisbane costs we just discussed.Using realistic all-in costs per dwellingTypeLandBuildExtrasTotal per dwelling3-bed house (outer suburbs)$420…
Here's a current breakdown based on 2026 data for Brisbane and surrounds. Note that I'm not a financial advisor and these are estimates — always get quotes from registered builders.3-Bedroom House — B…
What you can do as an individualShop around and actually switch — most people stay with their bank out of inertia. Lenders like Athena, Tic:Toc, and credit unions regularly offer rates 0.5-1% lower th…
