Locked out for life: News Australia and CommBank take on the housing crisis

News Australia has launched a national housing affordability campaign with CommBank, backed by research finding that 51 per cent of aspiring first-home buyers have given up hope of owning property.

The Home Front launched on Monday across news.com.au and News Australia’s State & Community mastheads, including The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Courier-Mail and The Advertiser. News Australia describes the campaign as “editorially led”, with promotion across digital, print and social channels.

READ MORE: News Corp’s Think Again campaign returns for 2026

READ MORE: News Australia launches EOFY campaign with news.com.au Checkout

Research finds a ‘hope gap’

The campaign draws on the National Housing Affordability Project, a survey of 2,048 Australian adults conducted by The Growth Distillery and SEC Newgate Research in July.

It found 53 per cent of non-homeowners want to buy their first home, but only 14 per cent believe it will happen anytime soon. Among current renters, 68 per cent expect to rent for the rest of their lives. The research also found 72 per cent see a widening class divide between property owners and non-owners.

Mastheads to examine pressures and solutions

News Australia said coverage would examine negative gearing, capital gains tax, interest rates, first-home buyer schemes and property taxes. It will also look at parents delaying retirement to help their children buy, alongside modular housing, downsizing, guarantor options and ways to increase supply.

The Daily Telegraph Editor Ben English said: “Our State & Community coverage will examine the core problems – from first-home buyers and retirees to the disproportionate impact on women – before delivering solutions that could make a tangible difference. We will continue to interrogate every element of the crisis and hold key decision-makers accountable. Ultimately, we will ensure our readers have the knowledge and confidence to seek advice and take action.”

News.com.au Editor Kerry Warren said the site would examine who is being excluded from the market, including people who feel shut out by structural pressures and those unwilling to make extreme sacrifices to buy.

CommBank joins the campaign

CommBank Group Executive of Marketing and Corporate Affairs Monique Macleod said the bank wanted to contribute to practical responses to the housing challenge.

“Australia’s housing challenge needs practical solutions and sustained collaboration across governments, industries and communities. We’re proud to partner with News Australia to bring together research, ideas and examples of action that can help lift housing supply,” she said.

For News Australia, the campaign also puts a major commercial partner alongside coverage of a public issue. Chief Revenue Officer Lou Barrett said it showed how the company could work with CommBank to engage audiences on housing in a way that was “credible, useful and solutions-focused”.