As Australia votes, a housing affordability crisis is top of voters’ minds

When Mary votes in Australia’s national elections on Saturday, the country’s chronic shortage of affordable housing will be at the top of her mind.

For two years, the 59-year-old former postal worker has been staying in short-term accommodations in regional New South Wales along with her daughter and her dog.
Mary receives income from a fortnightly old age pension of 1051.30 Australian dollars (US$673) and seasonal hospitality and retail jobs, but she cannot afford the median rent on a house or apartment of 560 dollars (US$360) a week.

Mary, who asked to be referred to by her first name, tried applying for social housing but was told the waiting list was “very, very long”.

“Once the money we had went on rent, and with no work, we landed here,” Mary told Al Jazeera.

“Now I have to pay storage to keep our lives in storage or lose everything. A situation I never envisioned I would ever find myself in.”

Mary intends to vote for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s centre-left Labor Party, which is favoured to return to power, though she is not enthusiastic about any of the main parties.