Essential workers are being priced out of the rental market in the ACT, according to the Anglicare Australia  2025 Rental Affordability Snapshot – Essential Workers Report. 

More than 51,000 rental listings were tested against the wages of 16 essential occupations and found there were no affordable properties for hospitality workers in the ACT, with only four affordable rentals for cleaners in the broader Canberra region.

Independent MLA Thomas Emerson says without more targeted work on housing affordability, the ACT was at risk of becoming a “two-tiered society”.

“I’m hearing from young people who grew up in Canberra, essential workers, and many other demographics who are being forced to leave the ACT because they’re completely excluded from our housing,” he says.

Emerson says the report figures stand in “stark contrast to rhetoric” from the ACT government that, for renters, Canberra is one of the most affordable jurisdictions.

“That may be technically true when defining affordability based on median incomes, but it’s insulting to the many Canberrans who are part of a vital workforce on lower incomes,” he says.

“Given how many people can’t afford Canberra’s rental market, the government needs to show real urgency in delivering on its commitment to increase the proportion of public and community housing in the ACT, which has declined steadily since self-government.”

Citing government land, church land and disused office buildings as creative opportunities to be used for housing, Emerson says the government should be harnessing innovations such as modular housing, tiny homes and co-housing to provide more diverse and affordable housing options closer to places of work and desired living location.

He also says unaffordable housing has made an impact of Canberra’s night-time economy.

“Venue managers tell me they’re struggling to attract staff, and it’s no surprise when hospitality workers can’t afford housing our city,” he says.

“Canberra’s night-time venues close earlier on average than venues in almost every other major city across Australia.”