Thursday 7 May 2026 - West Australians are losing faith that the housing crisis is being fixed, with new polling showing the state has the most pessimistic view of housing progress anywhere in the country.
Fresh results from AMPLIFY Home Truths*, Australia’s national housing scorecard, show just 24 per cent of West Australians rate progress on housing positively - the worst result nationally, with the state seven points below the national average of 31 per cent, and down from 30.2 per cent in October 2025.
Only one in four West Australians (25 per cent) believe enough homes will be built in the next four years – tied with Tasmania as the most pessimistic jurisdiction in Australia and almost six percentage points below the national average of 30.4 per cent.
The community is also feeling the cost-of-living crisis, with three in four (76 per cent) West Australians reporting their money goes less far than it did a year ago. Just 52 per cent feel very confident they will be able to remain in their current home over the next 12 months. About a third (32 per cent) of West Australians also report making personal sacrifices simply to keep a roof over their heads.
AMPLIFY CEO Georgina Harrisson has welcomed the State Government’s recent housing announcements and encouraged further state reform to build on this momentum.
“We welcome Western Australia’s recent announcements to better protect renters, deliver thousands of homes for first home buyers, and support much needed advanced manufacturing facilities,” Ms Harrisson said.
“However, with Western Australia ranking last in the country for optimism on housing progress, it’s clear there is a long way to go. West Australians will be watching today’s State Budget closely to see whether housing is treated with the urgency this crisis demands.”
On a national stage, the data also shows frustration is increasingly being directed at the Federal Government.
Nearly 73 per cent of West Australians are dissatisfied with Federal housing action over the past 12 months - the highest level of dissatisfaction of any state or territory.
West Australians’ trust in both the Federal Government and local councils has declined in every edition of the research.
At the same time, the data shows West Australians are backing bold national reform. Two‑thirds (67 per cent) support changes to negative gearing and the Capital Gains Tax discount to help drive new housing supply.
Ms Harrisson said the Federal Budget - handed down next week - is a critical opportunity to respond to the clear mandate from West Australians for decisive action.
“The housing crisis is three decades in the making, and Australians understand that incremental change won’t fix it,” she said.
“We desperately need to make it easier, faster and cheaper to build more homes, with nearly one million new homes needed to meet the National Housing Accord target by 2029. As the national housing target slips further out of reach and with it the Australian dream of home ownership, trust and confidence continue to collapse.
“The Federal Budget is an opportunity to turn tide by tackling tax reform, slashing red tape and delivering more affordable housing.”
*Survey sample of 4,253 Australians, representative of each state by age, and gender, taken between 19 March 2026 to 10 April 2026.
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MEDIA CONTACT Rosemarie Lentini | media@amplifyaus.org | 0421 201 315