The 'Great Australian Dream' is now the 'Great AUstralian Dread' – the struggle to find a rental you can afford

Talk of a problematic housing market isn’t new in NSW, but the harsh reality for New England North West renters is laid bare in Anglicare Sydney’s 2026 Rental Affordability Snapshot.

The Snapshot, now in its 16th year, revealed its most devastating results yet, showing that full time work is not enough for many families or individuals to find an affordable place to live.

Key findings

Over the weekend of 14-15 March, some 381 private rentals were advertised for rent in New England North West.

• Just 10% (or 39) propertieswere affordable and available for households on income support payments, down from 12%
• in 2025. For those on the minimum wage, there are also fewer affordable rentals available,with this group locked out of 56% of rentals. 
• A single person working full-time on the minimum wage will find that only 4.5% of rentals are affordable.
• No rentals were affordable for a single person on the JobSeeker payment or the Youth Allowance, or a single parent with two children on JobSeeker. A person on the Disability Support Pension could afford 0.8% of rentals.

Rob Stokes, Group Executive of Housing said that seeing these numbers in black and white shows how much the reality of living in NSW has changed.

“The great Australian dream used to be having a house to call your own, near family and friends, and close to work. Now people are lucky to find a rental that doesn’t immediately tip them into financial distress,” Mr Stokes said.

“Even if you’re earning minimum wage, imagine how many listings you have to scroll past to finally find one you can afford, and when you turn up there’s an enormous line just to get a viewing. 

“That’s not the great Australian dream, it’s a nightmare and it is only getting worse,” Mr Stokes said.

The supply-demand imbalance across the NSW market remains high, with the number of available rentals still far below pre-Covid levels, emphasising the continued need to drive new and affordable stock onto the market.

“To see the New England North West rental market in this state is concerning. Anglicare is calling on the government to use this Budget cycle to make a meaningful difference to protect what is a human right, to have a safe and secure place to live,” Mr Stokes said.

“Anglicare has been studying Rental Affordability for nearly two decades and all we have seen is the issue escalate and spread.

“The time has come for us to stop circular debates about supply vs demand and instead make policy changes to ensure every Australian has the opportunity to have housing security, rather than be filled with dread about how they will afford to keep a roof over their head, if they can find one at all.”

Anglicare Sydney is calling for meaningful reform that ensures supply is delivered and individuals have the capacity to pay by:

• Protecting and growing the supply of social and affordable housing, by reforming tax incentives, delivering an additional 10,000 new social dwellings annually, prioritising Government land for social and affordable housing, introducing mandatory inclusionary zoning and strengthening partnerships with Community Housing Providers.
• Increase financial assistance and other supports for private renters, by increasing JobSeeker and Youth Allowance, increasing and re-indexing Commonwealth Rent Assistance, investing in wraparound supports and strengthening renters’ rights.
• Prioritise vulnerable groups in our housing system, by expanding funding for crisis and transitional accommodation, improving supports for homelessness, domestic and family violence victim-survivors, and older Australians at risk of homelessness, and enabling “Meanwhile Use” of vacant or under-utilised properties for transitional housing.

The full Rental Affordability Snapshot 2026 can be viewed online here.

-ENDS-

About Anglicare Sydney:

Anglicare Sydney is a Christian non-for-profit providing care to older people and community services throughout Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Illawarra, Southern Highlands, New England North West, Central West and Norfolk Island.

Anglicare has been serving those in need for 170 years, employing more than 5,000 staff and serving alongside 1,300 volunteers.  

Anglicare provides a diverse range of services including providing care through residential aged care homes, at home care services, retirement living communities, affordable homes for people over 55, community services for children, families and those experiencing social isolation, disaster recovery in times of crisis and helping effecting change through research and advocacy.