The Right to Housing: how do we solve Australia's housing crisis? | Change the Story S6 Ep1

What if your right to a secure home was protected by law? Why is Australia one of the only liberal democracies without housing rights protection? Could a Human Rights Act help fix Australia’s housing crisis? Everyone should have a safe, secure and healthy place to call home, regardless of your postcode or bank balance. But this is not the reality for far too many people in the community. A 2025 report on the right to housing commissioned by the Human Rights Law Centre and authored by Professor Jessie Hohmann from the UTS Faculty of Law, helps shifts the focus of discussion to people. This is a talk that was originally published on the Impact Talks podcast feed, featuring Cassandra Goldie (CEO of Australian Council of Social Service and Adjunct Professor with UNSW Sydney), Professor Jessie Hohmann (Associate Professor at the UTS Faculty of Law), Tania Thompson (founder of Golden Oldies), and Caitlin Reiger (CEO of the Human Rights Law Centre). This event in February 2025 was hosted by the UTS Faculty of Law, Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion and the Human Rights Law Centre. VOICES Cassandra Goldie is the CEO of the Australia Council of Service and the Adjunct Professor of the University of New South Wales. Professor Jessie Hohmann is an Associate Professor at the UTS Faculty of Law. She is known for her expertise on the right to housing and the relationship between international law and Indigenous Peoples. Tania Thompson is the founder of Golden Oldies and the recipient of the NSW Local Woman Of The Year for Balmain in 2026. Caitlin Reiger is CEO of the Human Rights Law Centre and a human rights lawyer. CREDITS This talk was recorded on Gadigal Land in Eora, Sydney. The series was produced by Lachlan A’Court of UTS Impact Studios. It is presented by Amy Persson. CHANGE THE STORY Change the Story looks at what happens next: how people, communities, and movements are challenging and rewriting the narrative. You’ll hear podcast series on a single theme, such as challenging Australia’s monolingual mindset with new connections to Country; strengths-based approaches in community with asset mapping; and the story of Shopfront, a UTS design project that partners with community organisations to solve real-world problems. And you’ll hear talks, panels, and conversations that capture live debate and urgent thinking on social justice, social change, and community-driven solutions.