How much of what we hear about Australia’s housing crisis is actually true, and how much is just media hype?

In this episode, we’re joined by Cameron Kusher, a property economist who’s here to speak without corporate filters, and he doesn’t hold back. We talk about how the media often gets housing stories wrong, oversimplifying complex issues just to chase clicks. The real concern? That these headlines shape government policy, leading to short-sighted solutions that don’t actually fix anything.

Cameron walks us through what’s really driving the supply issue: rising construction costs, GST on new builds, financing hurdles, and why “just build more” isn’t as easy as it sounds. We also chat about the missing piece in most political conversations: renters. There’s been decades of underinvestment in social and affordable housing, but that rarely gets the spotlight.

We cover everything from tax reform to built-to-rent models, university responsibilities, and what role governments should be playing. If you’ve ever felt like the housing conversation is stuck or too focused on band-aid solutions, this one’s worth a listen.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 - Introduction

01:02 - Who is Cameron Kusher?

01:38 - What frustrates Cameron the most about how media covers the housing market

04:21 - How could governments better assist the housing market?

12:44 -  How biased is property media? Can we trust it?

15:26 - What do major networks get wrong about the property market?

17:30 - Why immigration is so hard to reduce and what does it means for housing

22:08 - Will falling inflation and interest rates increase housing approvals?

26:31 - Are planning reforms in NSW and VIC actually working?

33:35 - How much housing supply is considered enough? Can we sustain it?

42:14 - Could tax reform like land tax replace stamp duty?

46:14 - Do bold buyer incentives help or hurt the housing market?

48:37 - Are young people really locked out of the housing market?

51:53 - Is ‘giving while living’ the new Bank of Mum and Dad?

53:55 - Will downsizing boomers actually free up family homes?

57:46 - Are Australians becoming comfortable with lifelong mortgage debt?

1:00:06 - Cameron Kusher's property dumbo

About Our Guest:

Cameron Kusher is a seasoned property economist and one of Australia’s most respected housing market commentators. With more than 20 years of experience working in the Australian property sector., he has held senior research roles at CoreLogic and REA Group, where he served as Executive Manager of Economic Research. Cameron’s expertise spans residential and commercial property markets, focusing on data-driven insights into housing trends, affordability, and policy impacts. He is a sought-after speaker and writer, known for cutting through media noise to highlight the structural and economic forces shaping Australia’s housing landscape. 

Connect with Cameron Kusher:
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-kusher-bbb71b46/

Resources:
Visit our website https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au
If you have any questions or would like to be featured on our show, contact us at: The Elephant in the Room Property Podcast - questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au
 Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? https://www.gooddeeds.com.au
Work with Veronica: https://www.veronicamorgan.com.au
Looking for a Mortgage Broker? https://www.alcove.au
Work with Chris: chrisbates@alcove.au

Enjoyed the podcast? Don't miss out on what's yet to come! Hit that subscription button, spread the word and join us for more insightful discussions in real estate. Your journey starts now!
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theelephantintheroom-podcast
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-elephant-in-the-room-property-podcast/id1384822719
Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Ge1626dgnmK0RyKPcXjP0?si=26cde394fa854765

How much of what we hear about Australia&rsquo;s housing crisis is actually true, and how much is just media hype?
In this episode, we&rsquo;re joined by Cameron Kusher, a property economist who&rsquo;s here to speak without corporate filters, and he doesn&rsquo;t hold back. We talk about how the media often gets housing stories wrong, oversimplifying complex issues just to chase clicks. The real concern? That these headlines shape government policy, leading to short-sighted solutions that don&rsquo;t actually fix anything.
Cameron walks us through what&rsquo;s really driving the supply issue: rising construction costs, GST on new builds, financing hurdles, and why &ldquo;just build more&rdquo; isn&rsquo;t as easy as it sounds. We also chat about the missing piece in most political conversations: renters. There&rsquo;s been decades of underinvestment in social and affordable housing, but that rarely gets the spotlight.
We cover everything from tax reform to built-to-rent models, university responsibilities, and what role governments should be playing. If you&rsquo;ve ever felt like the housing conversation is stuck or too focused on band-aid solutions, this one&rsquo;s worth a listen.
Episode Highlights:
00:00 - Introduction
01:02 - Who is Cameron Kusher?
01:38 - What frustrates Cameron the most about how media covers the housing market
04:21 - How could governments better assist the housing market?
12:44 -&nbsp; How biased is property media? Can we trust it?
15:26 - What do major networks get wrong about the property market?
17:30 - Why immigration is so hard to reduce and what does it means for housing
22:08 - Will falling inflation and interest rates increase housing approvals?
26:31 - Are planning reforms in NSW and VIC actually working?
33:35 - How much housing supply is considered enough? Can we sustain it?
42:14 - Could tax reform like land tax replace stamp duty?
46:14 - Do bold buyer incentives help or hurt the housing market?
48:37 - Are young people really locked out of the housing market?
51:53 - Is &lsquo;giving while living&rsquo; the new Bank of Mum and Dad?
53:55 - Will downsizing boomers actually free up family homes?
57:46 - Are Australians becoming comfortable with lifelong mortgage debt?
1:00:06 - Cameron Kusher's property dumbo
About Our Guest:
Cameron Kusher is a seasoned property economist and one of Australia&rsquo;s most respected housing market commentators. With more than 20 years of experience working in the Australian property sector., he has held senior research roles at CoreLogic and REA Group, where he served as Executive Manager of Economic Research. Cameron&rsquo;s expertise spans residential and commercial property markets, focusing on data-driven insights into housing trends, affordability, and policy impacts. He is a sought-after speaker and writer, known for cutting through media noise to highlight the structural and economic forces shaping Australia&rsquo;s housing landscape.&nbsp;
Connect with Cameron Kusher:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">LinkedIn <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-kusher-bbb71b46/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-kusher-bbb71b46/</a></li>
</ul>
Resources:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Visit our website <a href="https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au">https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">If you have any questions or would like to be featured on our show, contact us at:&nbsp;The Elephant in the Room Property Podcast - <a href="mailto:questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au">questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">&nbsp;Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? <a href="http://www.gooddeeds.com.au/">https://www.gooddeeds.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Work with Veronica: <a href="http://www.veronicamorgan.com.au">https://www.veronicamorgan.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Looking for a Mortgage Broker? <a href="https://www.alcove.au">https://www.alcove.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Work with Chris: <a href="mailto:chrisbates@alcove.au">chrisbates@alcove.au</a></li>
</ul>
Enjoyed the podcast? Don't miss out on what's yet to come! Hit that subscription button, spread the word and join us for more insightful discussions in real estate. Your journey starts now!
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Subscribe on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theelephantintheroom-podcast">https://www.youtube.com/@theelephantintheroom-podcast</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-elephant-in-the-room-property-podcast/id1384822719">https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-elephant-in-the-room-property-podcast/id1384822719</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Subscribe on Spotify:&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3Ge1626dgnmK0RyKPcXjP0?si=26cde394fa854765">https://open.spotify.com/show/3Ge1626dgnmK0RyKPcXjP0?si=26cde394fa854765</a></li>
</ul>

Who's really in control when you buy a property?

The Elephant In The Room is where the things that no one wants to talk about, actually get talked about.  

Veronica Morgan, real estate agent, buyers agent and co-host of Foxtel’s Location Location Location Australia & Chris Bates, financial planner, mortgage broker and wealth coach have joined forces to find out what’s really going on in the world of real estate.

Veronica and Chris talk to property owners and buyers every day in their respective lines of business. They’ve observed a wide spectrum of confidence in people’s decision making ability when buying and selling property, often to the detriment of the individuals concerned. They are both fascinated by consumer behaviour and together they’re going to uncover who’s really making the decisions when you buy a property.

In each episode they get into the psyche of buyers, agents, auctioneers and other industry experts to learn the truth about how buyers are influenced and why they do the things they do. In every episode you’ll learn from the mistakes of a “property dumbo” as well as Chris & Veronica’s “elephant rider bootcamp” training session.

The plan? This property podcast has been created to help us all make better property decisions!

We talk about the things no one wants to talk about in the Property Market

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