Billions spent on housing affordability are making it worse: Productivity Commission

Sixteen billion dollars a year in government housing assistance could be better targeted, while nearly $3 billion spent helping first home buyers works against improving affordability, a Productivity Commission review has found.

• Melissa Heagney
• WAtoday

Governments should commit to targets for new housing supply, improve Commonwealth Rent Assistance and address shortcomings in social housing, the review of the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement, released on Friday, recommended.

Productivity Commissioner Malcolm Roberts said the agreement, set up in 2018 to fund state and territory governments to improve access to housing, was…

• Billions spent on…