Our dear Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has some simple advice for people who are finding themselves priced out of homes in the Sydney / Melbourne market: move somewhere else.
Joyce was talking to Radio National this morning when he said that he was sick of the discussion about the housing market being focused on Australia’s two largest cities and their suburbs. He was responding to the Demographia survey which found that Sydney has the 2nd least affordable housing market in the world.
“I get annoyed when people talk about that the only house that you can buy apparently is in Sydney and it’s too dear,” he said. “There are other parts of Australia. I live in one, it’s called Tamworth.”
He continued.
Houses will always be incredibly expensive if you can see the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Just accept that. Houses are much cheaper in Tamworth, houses are much cheaper in Armidale, houses are much cheaper in Toowoomba.
Of course, Barnaby isn’t considering the things which could possibly disincentivise someone from moving to somewhere like Tamworth – like, for example, its higher-than-average unemployment rate of 7.46%.
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen told Fairfax that Joyce’s comments show that he’s out of touch with most Australians. “Country life is a good life. It suits many people… It is not an option for everyone. It shouldn’t be this government’s only answer when it comes to housing affordability,” he said.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald.
Photo: Getty Images.
