Migrants scapegoated as cause of Australia’s housing crisis a ‘disturbing’ trend, advocates say

The groups say the crisis is not fuelled by migration but by decades of poor policy choices by successive governments, including investor tax incentives and the chronic undersupply of social housing. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian

More than 40 housing and welfare groups say they are concerned migrants are being scapegoated as the main reason for Australia’s housing crisis, calling on the prime minister and opposition leader to show leadership on the issue.

The organisations – which include the Australian Council of Social Services, the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia and National Shelter – say decades of poor policy choices by successive governments, including investor tax incentives and the chronic undersupply of social housing, have fuelled the crisis.