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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Jonathan Barrett Business editor

Great job, good education, no home: is Australia’s bloated property market destroying the middle class?

Ross Hamilton in his living room with a baby chair behind him
‘You are taught at a young age to get your education, get your career, and then at some point, you will be able to buy a home for your family,’ says Ross Hamilton, who fears the dream is no longer possible. Photograph: James Gourley/The Guardian

Ross Hamilton spends his work days in a laboratory developing treatments for fibrosis. At home, he sets aside as much time as possible to be with his partner, their four-year-old daughter and their baby boy, who was born just a few weeks ago.

The 43-year-old is well educated, works in a cutting-edge industry and is part of a dual-income household. But despite this, the couple cannot afford a family home anywhere near his Sydney workplace or prospective schools as property prices increase at a faster pace than the family can save for a deposit.

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