ABSTRACT

Housing has always been an important part of Australian public policy as the quest for home ownership is part of the great Australian dream. The National Housing Policy Review, however, was a narrow but important precursor to the broader strategy consideration, making the task easier because the ground-work of reorganising long term strategies for Federal and State responsibilities in public housing had been done. The December 1989 issue of Urban and Policy Research contrasts several articles that highlight increasing structural instability in the general Australian housing market and the subsequent impact on public housing policy issues. In terms of our policy consulting framework the Persson review was well placed to successfully manage the issues surrounding Commonwealth–State relations in the area of public housing. In effect, the States agreed to not seek Loan Council approval for public housing loans in lieu of direct grants from the Commonwealth.