Barnaby Joyce’s recent return to the Deputy Prime Ministership was a controversial move due to his much-publicised relationship and baby with an ex-staffer in 2018 which ended in his resignation as a minister and Deputy PM.

In the positive corner is Everybody's Home which is the national campaign against homelessness. They see his return as an opportunity to put the soaring cost of regional housing and the shortfall of social housing at the centre of national affairs.

In 2019, Mr Joyce recognised the affordability crisis facing renters in the bush when he said:

"Certainly $555 or thereabouts a fortnight is difficult, especially in regional areas.

"Especially if your rent's $250 a week, well, you're not really going to get by.”

Since then regional rents have soared as people on big city incomes have moved to the regions to take advantage of post-pandemic work-from-home opportunities.

According to local realtor Andrew Gordon of R Gordon and Son on Molesworth Street, no one is building rental stock and development has slowed dramatically.

"Demand (for rentals) is static but supply is eroded," he said. He adds that his agency has currently only 2 rental properties available. Last week they received 80 applications for a two-bedroom unit on Zadoc St. And that amount of applications is not unusual.

"Our record is 149 applications for a house in East Lismore, just in the last 6 weeks. The 148 other applicants were all good but where do they go?" he said.

"I remember the days when we would have fifty houses empty and anybody who walked past got a house. Anybody. Why has that changed? Because we've blocked supply."

"1998 was the last time Lismore sold 300 residential approved blocks of land to build on in one year. The city was paved in gold, we had ratepayers, council was on fire, they were able to meet their obligations, they were proactive. It's been double digits ever since. The last year has been slightly different but it hasn't made up for the last 20." he said.

Mr Gordon continued "In Lismore at the moment it's almost death, divorce and financial stress that are the motivators for people moving...because you're not moving to your new build because there's very little building going on."

According to SQM research rents for houses have increased in the following regional NSW locations over the last 12 months:

NSW North Coast 18.2 per cent

NSW South Coast 24.9 per cent

NSW Central Tablelands 12.9 per cent

NSW Broken Hill/Dubbo 25.4 per cent

NSW Hunter Region 11.6 per cent

NSW Murray Region 7.9 per cent

NSW Riverina Region 10.6 per cent

Everybody’s Home national spokesperson, Kate Colvin said an expansion of social and affordable housing was the best way to balance the system and ease the pressure of the boom.

“Barnaby Joyce has demonstrated a keen understanding of the regional rental crisis, a crisis that has deteriorated badly over the last year.

“Housing has been completely upended in the bush and on the coast as people with big-city incomes take advantage of working from home. This is pushing many existing residents to the brink of homelessness.

“Expanding social and affordable housing would relieve this pressure. Social and affordable housing gives people on low and modest incomes greater choice and security. This is also really important for people recovering from major life disruptions, such as health scares or relationship breakdowns.

“Many of our regional communities would also benefit from the employment boost of building more homes. Home construction has the second-largest economic multiplier of all the 114 industries that make up our economy. The National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation estimates that for every $1 million spent on residential construction, nine existing jobs are supported while three new ones are created."

Reform for housing affordability is also rumoured to be included in the NSW State Budget to be revealed tonight.

For more information about Everybody's Home visit https://everybodyshome.com.au/