Invest
Retirement communities: a pivotal element in meeting Australia's housing targets
Invest
Retirement communities: a pivotal element in meeting Australia's housing targets
The Retirement Living Council (RLC) has recommended that retirement communities should be considered a vital part in the Australian Government's initiative to fulfill the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) aim of constructing 1.2 million new homes by 2029.
Retirement communities: a pivotal element in meeting Australia's housing targets
The Retirement Living Council (RLC) has recommended that retirement communities should be considered a vital part in the Australian Government's initiative to fulfill the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) aim of constructing 1.2 million new homes by 2029.
This suggestion forms part of RLC's submission to the Australian Government before the upcoming May Budget.
Daniel Gannon, the Executive Director of RLC, emphasized the significant role retirement communities can play as the population of Australia ages. "The Prime Minister’s 1.2 million new homes target is an admirably ambitious one, but retirement communities can help achieve this lofty goal as Australia ages," Gannon noted. He highlighted the additional advantage of retirement villages, which can delay senior Australians' need to move into taxpayer-funded aged care facilities by offering purpose-designed, happier, and healthier living environments.
Gannon has called on the Prime Minister to count retirement units, already recognized as official dwellings by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), towards the HAFF targets. He pointed out the expected growth in the population aged over 75 from two million to 3.4 million by 2040, emphasizing the necessity for government policies that encourage the increased supply of retirement housing. "Given the number of people aged over 75 is set to increase from two million to 3.4 million by 2040, government decision-making needs to facilitate and stimulate more supply – not hamper it," he stated.
Additionally, the RLC provided statistics to demonstrate the urgent demand for more retirement homes. According to their findings, the retirement industry will need to build 67,000 new homes by 2030 to satisfy the current demand from older Australians. However, only 18,000 of these homes are planned as of now. These figures underline retirement communities' potential to contribute significantly toward addressing the Australian housing supply challenge.
A recent RLC report, titled "Better Housing for Better Health," showcases further benefits of retirement villages, indicating nearly $1 billion annual savings for taxpayers by postponing residents' transition into aged care. The report also shed light on the improved quality of life for residents in retirement communities, revealing they are 41 percent happier, 15 percent more physically active, and 20 percent less likely to be hospitalised after only nine months, among other health benefits.
In conclusion, the RLC's Federal Budget submission is available for a more comprehensive understanding of their proposals and findings in the quest to support Australia's ageing population through smarter housing solutions.
https://www.propertycouncil.com.au/submissions/rlc-submission-fy25-federal-budget
RELATED ARTICLES
Property
Twice the demand: the case study behind Melbourne’s first‑home buyer surge
Melbourne has quietly engineered one of Australia’s most consequential housing turnarounds, with first‑home buyer demand running at roughly double the national pace and four of the top five buyer ...Read more
Property
First‑home buyers now anchor Australia’s mortgage growth — but the risk maths is changing
Great Southern Bank’s revelation that nearly one in three of its new mortgages went to first‑home buyers is not an outlier. It is the leading edge of a broader market realignment powered by government ...Read more
Property
Home guarantee scheme shake-up challenges Australia’s housing market players
From 1 October 2025, the expanded Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) materially widens what first-home buyers can purchase and where. By sharply lifting price caps and relaxing eligibility settings, the ...Read more
Property
GSB’s first‑home buyer play: turning policy tailwinds into market share
Great Southern Bank’s latest results show that nearly one in three of its new mortgages now go to first‑home buyers—evidence of a fast‑moving market reshaped by government guarantees, easing rates and ...Read more
Property
Why investors are fleeing and renters are scrambling in Australia's housing maze
Australia’s rental market is tightening even as individual landlords sell down. New data points to a multi‑year investor retreat tied to higher holding costs and regulatory uncertainty, while prices ...Read more
Property
Australia's 5% deposit guarantee: Unlocking gains while balancing risks in the market share race
Can a bigger government guarantee fix housing access without fuelling prices? Australia is about to find out. The Albanese government’s expanded 5% deposit pathway aims to help 70,000 buyers, remove ...Read more
Property
Australia's bold move the 5% deposit scheme shaking up the housing market
Can a government guarantee replace lenders mortgage insurance without inflating prices or risk? Canberra’s accelerated 5% deposit scheme is a bold demand-side nudge in a supply‑constrained marketRead more
Property
When rates drop but stress sticks: exploring Australia's mortgage arrears dilemma
Headline numbers suggest arrears ease as rates come down. The reality in Australia is messier: broad measures dipped into mid‑2025, yet severe delinquencies and non‑bank portfolios remain under ...Read more
Property
Twice the demand: the case study behind Melbourne’s first‑home buyer surge
Melbourne has quietly engineered one of Australia’s most consequential housing turnarounds, with first‑home buyer demand running at roughly double the national pace and four of the top five buyer ...Read more
Property
First‑home buyers now anchor Australia’s mortgage growth — but the risk maths is changing
Great Southern Bank’s revelation that nearly one in three of its new mortgages went to first‑home buyers is not an outlier. It is the leading edge of a broader market realignment powered by government ...Read more
Property
Home guarantee scheme shake-up challenges Australia’s housing market players
From 1 October 2025, the expanded Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) materially widens what first-home buyers can purchase and where. By sharply lifting price caps and relaxing eligibility settings, the ...Read more
Property
GSB’s first‑home buyer play: turning policy tailwinds into market share
Great Southern Bank’s latest results show that nearly one in three of its new mortgages now go to first‑home buyers—evidence of a fast‑moving market reshaped by government guarantees, easing rates and ...Read more
Property
Why investors are fleeing and renters are scrambling in Australia's housing maze
Australia’s rental market is tightening even as individual landlords sell down. New data points to a multi‑year investor retreat tied to higher holding costs and regulatory uncertainty, while prices ...Read more
Property
Australia's 5% deposit guarantee: Unlocking gains while balancing risks in the market share race
Can a bigger government guarantee fix housing access without fuelling prices? Australia is about to find out. The Albanese government’s expanded 5% deposit pathway aims to help 70,000 buyers, remove ...Read more
Property
Australia's bold move the 5% deposit scheme shaking up the housing market
Can a government guarantee replace lenders mortgage insurance without inflating prices or risk? Canberra’s accelerated 5% deposit scheme is a bold demand-side nudge in a supply‑constrained marketRead more
Property
When rates drop but stress sticks: exploring Australia's mortgage arrears dilemma
Headline numbers suggest arrears ease as rates come down. The reality in Australia is messier: broad measures dipped into mid‑2025, yet severe delinquencies and non‑bank portfolios remain under ...Read more
