Tonight | Four Corners: Unaffordable on ABC: housing promise faces scrutiny – Four Corners Unaffordable tonight investigates Australia’s affordable housing promise and asks whether renters are getting what they were told to expect.
The Housing Promise
The new investigation looks at a model now backed by governments around Australia. It uses private developers, public money and major investors to create rental homes described as affordable.
However, the program raises a clear question. Is the system delivering for the people who need it most?
Reporter Pat McGrath examines how the model works in practice. He also meets renters who say affordable housing has not matched the promise made to them.
What The Data Shows
Four Corners Unaffordable includes exclusive data analysis by the program. Over eight weeks, Four Corners examined affordable housing rental listings in New South Wales and Victoria.
Those findings raise serious questions about how affordability is defined. They also test whether the current system is delivering homes at prices renters can manage.
The investigation also looks at what developers and investors receive in return. Planning concessions, public loans and other incentives can support new housing. Yet Four Corners asks what governments, and renters, are getting back.
Housing affordability remains one of Australia’s most urgent public issues. For renters, the gap between policy language and weekly rent can shape every part of life. Therefore, this investigation arrives at a critical moment.
Don’t miss Four Corners: Unaffordable, Monday 13 July 2026 at 8.30pm on ABC and ABC iview.
For more ABC highlights, visit TV Central’s ABC section. Stream Four Corners on ABC iview.
