A new online survey by the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre is looking for participants to provide insights into a widespread modern day dilemma – how housing affordability, or lack thereof, actually impacts on households.
Dr Steven Rowley, Head of Curtin University’s Department of Property Studies within the Curtin Business School explained the survey is designed to identify how housing-related costs affect the day-to-day lives of Western Australians.
“Mortgage payments, weekly rent, utility bills and commuting costs all result from a resident’s housing choice, but what this study seeks to investigate is what householders have to give up in order to meet these payments,” Dr Rowley said.
“What trade-offs did a household have to make when selecting their current home? Did they have to forego or reduce other traditional items of expenditure such as food, social activities, holidays and insurance in order to meet housing-related costs? Did a household have to move a long distance away from their first choice location to access affordable housing?
“This study will also look at individuals who are unable to move into their own home, such as people living with their parents and those in share houses, examining to what extent housing affordability is actually preventing household formation in Western Australia.”
The online survey is open to all WA residents who either own their own home, want to own a home, rent from any type of landlord or live with parents, friends or in a group/shared house.
Housing affordability online survey is open until the end of November and can be accessed online.
All responses will be confidential and used only as part of aggregated analysis. Ethics approval number E&F-07-13.
About the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre:
The Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre is an independent economic and social research organisation located within the Curtin Business School at Curtin University. The Centre was established in 2012 through generous support from Bankwest (a division of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia), with a core mission to undertake high quality, objective research on the key economic and social issues of relevance to Western Australia.
The Centre’s research and engagement activities are designed to influence economic and social policy debates in state and Federal Parliament, regional and national media, and the wider Australian community. Through high quality, evidence-based research and analysis, our research outcomes inform policy makers and commentators of the economic challenges to achieving sustainable and equitable growth and prosperity both in Western Australia and nationally.
The Centre brings a unique philosophy to research on the major economic issues facing Western Australia. By bringing together experts from the research, policy and business communities at all stages of the process –from framing and conceptualising research questions, through the conduct of research, to the communication and implementation of research findings – we ensure that our research is relevant, fit for purpose, and makes a genuine difference to the lives of Australians both in WA and nationally.
The Centre capitalises on Curtin University’s reputation for excellence in economic modelling, forecasting, public policy research, trade and industrial economics and spatial sciences. Centre researchers have specific expertise in economic forecasting, quantitative modelling, microdata analysis and economic and social policy evaluation.
