Sam Bahrij can no longer afford to live alone in Brisbane after his weekly rent soared $210 in 12 months.
The 34-year-old was forced to find a new two-bedroom home and a housemate to keep up with the increases in his neighbourhood.
"Currently, with the rental crisis, the way things are, there is no way for me to rent by myself," Bahrij told SBS News.
Rents across the capital have risen 58 per cent since March 2020, according to property analysis group PropTrack.
Many tenants face changing living arrangements or delaying the dream of home ownership due to high costs. For Bahrij, buying his first home no longer feels possible.
"No hope. Like I can't see a future for myself ... or my brother ... or anyone," Bahrij said.
The Coalition has proposed letting first home buyers and older women access up to $50,000 or 40 per cent of their superannuation to bolster their deposit.
However, new modelling released on Monday suggests the policy could increase house prices by 7 to 10 per cent over two years.
"It feels like an insult because accessing your super immediately ruins my future," Bahrij said when asked whether it's an option he'd pursue.
Research by the Super Members Council predicts median house prices would rise $92,500 on average across the capital cities if home-buyers could access more of their super. Source: SBS News
Opposition leader Peter Dutton disagrees, saying accessing super would exacerbate the housing crisis only "in the absence of a supply-side measure".
"When I talk about supply-side measures, I mean homes being built and coming to market," he told reporters on Monday.
"We've announced a $5 billion plan … which will create 500,000 new homes," referring to funding for infrastructure such as water, power and access to roads to speed up construction.
Housing key to Greens electoral success
In 2022, the housing crisis was critical to the Greens' electoral success in the Sunshine State, delivering shock wins in three Brisbane lower house seats.
Greens housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather said inaction on the housing issue continues to be a key frustration with voters in his electorate of Griffith.
"I think a lot of people are pretty frustrated that both major parties have sort of sat on their hands and only really think of it around the edges of this crisis," he told SBS News.
He argues that even modest changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax would result in more first home owners instead of property developers entering the market and is calling for a government-owned developer to address the supply shortage.
Max Chandler-Mather said the housing issue continues to be a key frustration with voters in his electorate of Griffith. Source: SBS News / Thomas Druitt
Green's support has been crucial to passing Labor's $32 billion housing agenda, part of the government's commitment to build 1.2 million houses by 2030.
"Because of the Greens political party posturing in parliament, they delayed for almost a year, the construction of homes that were sorely needed," she told SBS News.
Labor's housing build delay
The Albanese government has passed several measures to address the housing crisis.
It includes the Help to Buy scheme, a shared equity program that will allow 10,000 first-home buyers each year to buy a house with a contribution from the government.
The Build to Rent bill incentivises developers to build housing entirely for renting by offering tax concessions and commits at least 10 per cent of the dwellings to affordable housing.
However, its centrepiece home-building pledge, including 30,000 additional social and affordable homes, came under scrutiny earlier this month.
Despite setting itself an ambitious five-year deadline, Senate estimates revealed no new homes had been built under the $10 billion House Australia Future Fund.
Housing Minister Clare O'Neil remains adamant that the government plans to "build, build, build".
