https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-67723760
'At the age of 31, Justin Dowswell never imagined he'd be living in a shared
room in his childhood home.
He had a full-time, well-paying job in Sydney, and had rented for a decade
before an unprecedented housing crisis forced him to upend his life and move
back in with his parents, two hours away.
"It's humbling," he says. But the alternative was homelessness: "So I'm one of
the lucky ones".
It's a far cry from the promise of the Great Australian Dream.
Where the American Dream is a more abstract belief that anyone can achieve
success if they work hard enough, the Australian version is tangible.
For generations, owning a house on a modest block of land has been idealised as
both the ultimate marker of success and a gateway to a better life.
It's an aspiration that has wormed its way into the country's identity, helping
to shape modern Australia.
From the so-called "Ten Pound Poms" in the 1950s to the current boom in
skilled workers moving from India, waves of migrants have arrived on
Australia's shores in search of its promise. And many found it.
But for current generations the dreams proffered to their parents and
grandparents are out of reach.
After decades of government policies that treat housing as an investment not a
right, many say they would be lucky to even find a stable, affordable place to
rent.
"The Australian Dream… it's a big lie," Mr Dowswell says.'
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
