Housing Crisis in SA Election Spotlight

Housing Affordability: A Major Election Issue in South Australia

South Australias upcoming 2026 state election is shaping up to be a battleground for housing affordability. Both Labor and the Liberals are proposing policies to tackle the crisis, including stamp duty breaks for first home buyers and downsizers, as well as training programs to boost tradies and speed up construction. Labor aims to deliver 13,500 new homes each year, while the opposition focuses on easing demand without a hard build target.

Adelaides property market is heating up fast, with the median sale price hitting $925,000 last December and on track to top $1 million soon. Entry-level houses jumped 20% in the past year to $720,000, driven by high demand and tight supply.

First home buyers like Jarrad Powell and Kyah Macnab say saving for a deposit feels nearly impossible without living at home with parents. Theyre buying land in a government development but wont move in until mid-2028 due to delays in land titling and building.

Both parties are pitching downsizer incentives to free up family homes—Labor waives stamp duty for those 60 and older on new builds up to $2 million, while Liberals offer a $15,000 concession for over 55s on homes under $1.2 million. Officials blame past infrastructure shortfalls, but Labor claims the biggest postwar land release since 2022.

Experts like housing economist Chris Leishman say no one policy will fix it all, but combined efforts could help. Labor plans a Housing Roadmap in mid-year with reforms to cut land division times, and both sides hint at more announcements to win over voters hit hard by the crunch.

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