The politics of Australian housing: the role of lobbyists and their influence in shaping policy

Keith Jacobs (Professor, Sociology and Social Work, University of Tasmania)

3.00-4.30pm, Room 916, Adam Smith Building

"It is often taken for granted that governments intervene in the housing market to address social need and affordability concerns but is this conceptualisation sufficient to capture the processes that inform housing policymaking? In this paper, I argue that an appreciation of the roles performed by interest groups and lobbyists is necessary to understand not only how housing policies are determined, but also how they are maintained.

The paper begins by setting out the context of Australian housing policymaking and the arrangements currently in place. Drawing upon interviews with influential lobbyists and policy advisors, the main part of the paper considers: the tactics deployed to inform policy-making, recent examples of successful interventions, the tensions between welfare and industry lobbyists, and the barriers that undermine reform.

The final part considers the wider significance of the lobbying process and its relevance for UK based housing research."

All welcome.

For further information please contact Mark Livingston (mark.livingston@glasgow.ac.uk, 0141 330 6162) or Julie Clark (Julie.Clark@glasgow.ac.uk, 0141 330 4516).

First published: 13 September 2012

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