EARTHCHAT: Australia’s Housing Crisis . . . what’s the crisis, what are the options for housing Australians?

Listen at noon on Tuesday 18 November on Seymour FM or anytime as a podcast.

We’ve heard a lot over the past year or so about our housing crisis. The commentary has dominated governments, and yet the suburban sprawl continues over farming and grazing land, over wetlands and precious green belts are disappearing.

Blocks are too small to grow big trees for shade, and the “heat island” effect is real in our new suburbs with black roofs.  The sprawl grows. Housing shortages continue.

Ryan Elliot (Municipal Building Surveyor) and Brian Bowring (involved in many “fringe” building techniques over the years) join Peter Lockyer on EarthChat this week to take a hard look at challenges in our housing industry. Big house or tiny house; own your land or lease it; rental for life of a comfortable caravan park; modular houses or more builders. And consider the issues of recyclability, labour intensity of landfill, and energy efficiency for all.

Just what is the crisis? Where does it come from? Addressing housing shortfall may not be by means we are used to. Is the notion of owning one’s home the issue at the core.     Do we blame Menzies?

EarthChat on 103.9 FM at midday, Tuesday 18 November. We may not solve the housing crisis, but we’ll tease out some challenges on the way. Here is Seymour FM's website. 

Can't catch the radio broadcast? Catch up on Spotify, Apple Podcasts,  Podbean and the BEAM website. We make it easy to Earth-Chat!