People are exhausted, angry and anxious: what I learned from your stories of Australia’s housing affordability crisis

For young and old and many in between, Australia’s housing crisis is a story of despair and desperation. Photograph: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

When the thorny subject of housing is raised, Anthony Albanese has a habit of turning to his past. “I grew up in social housing – I know how important a roof over your head is,” the prime minister said at a Future Australia Housing Fund event in September.

It’s an oft-repeated line that has begun to feel as exhausted as those who hear it. The reality is, despite Australia’s affluence, housing has become a less secure, less fair part of life, especially for people on low incomes.