The Australian Dream or Great Australian Dream is, in its narrowest sense, a belief that in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
,
home ownership
Owner-occupancy or home-ownership is a form of housing tenure in which a person, called the owner-occupier, owner-occupant, or home owner, owns the home in which they live. The home can be a house, such as a single-family house, an apartment, c ...
can lead to a better life and is an expression of success and security. The term is derived from the
American Dream
The "American Dream" is a phrase referring to a purported national ethos of the United States: that every person has the freedom and opportunity to succeed and attain a better life. The phrase was popularized by James Truslow Adams during the ...
, which describes a similar phenomenon in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
also starting in the 1940s, although they are differentiated from each other in that the American Dream is more concerned with the abstract notion that upward social mobility in general is achievable for all while the Australian Dream is more invested specifically in home ownership as a means of prosperity. Although this
standard of living
Standard of living is the level of income, comforts and services available to an individual, community or society. A contributing factor to an individual's quality of life, standard of living is generally concerned with objective metrics outsid ...
is enjoyed by many in the existing Australian population, commentators have argued that rising real house prices have made it increasingly difficult to achieve the "Great Australian Dream", especially for those living in large cities and the
Millennials
Millennials, also known as Generation Y or Gen Y, are the demographic cohort following Generation X and preceding Generation Z. Researchers and popular media use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s a ...
.
It is also noted as having led to
urbanisation
Urbanization (or urbanisation in British English) is the population shift from rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change. It can also ...
(or more specifically
suburb
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...
anisation), causing extensive
urban sprawl
Urban sprawl (also known as suburban sprawl or urban encroachment) is defined as "the spreading of urban developments (such as houses and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a city". Urban sprawl has been described as the unrestricted ...
in the major cities. In contrast to the Australian Dream, some modern urban planners have emphasised "
urban consolidation Urban consolidation describes the policy of constraining further development and population growth to within the boundaries of preexisting urban areas rather than expanding outward into suburban areas. Urban consolidation seeks to increase the po ...
" and "
urban sustainability". This "smart growth" or "iGrowth" involves living in a small apartment instead of a detached home, and using
public transport
Public transport (also known as public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) are forms of transport available to the general public. It typically uses a fixed schedule, route and charges a fixed fare. There is no rigid definition of whic ...
instead of driving a car. The key to enforcing "urban consolidation" on an Australian populace who still desire the freedom of their own home and backyard has been planning laws which ban or heavily restrict
greenfield development; however some have criticised this as leading to extreme house prices.
The term has also been used to apply to broader issues. It was given a different slant by journalist
Stan Grant, first in a 2015 address which
went viral,
followed by a 2016 essay entitled "The Australian Dream: Blood, History And Becoming", and lastly his 2019 documentary film ''
The Australian Dream'', which examines the role of
racism in Australia, past and present, and questions of national and
Indigenous identity, using the
racial abuse of footballer
Adam Goodes
Adam Roy Goodes (born 8 January 1980) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL). Goodes holds an elite place in VFL/AFL history as a dual Brownlow Medallist, d ...
as a starting point.
Miriam Margolyes
Miriam Margolyes ( ; born 18 May 1941) is a British and Australian actress. Known for her work as a character actor across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs. Mingott in Marti ...
, in a 2020 three-part TV documentary entitled ''Almost Australian'', interrogates what the Australian Dream means to a variety of people across the country.
History
The origin of the Australian dream dates back to the period of reconstruction following
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The dream flowered in the 1950s and 1960s due chiefly to the expansion of Australian manufacturing, low unemployment rates, the
baby boom
A baby boom is a period marked by a significant increase of births. This demography, demographic phenomenon is usually an ascribed characteristic within the population of a specific nationality, nation or culture. Baby booms are caused by various ...
and the removal of rent controls.
There is some evidence, however, that the vast open spaces of early colonial Australia first instilled the notion in the early generations of Australian families. It was certainly aided by the widespread ownership of the motor car. Even as it was growing, the aspirational dream became an occasional object of ridicule in art and literature, some of the strongest criticism appearing in the mid-1950s paintings of
John Brack
John Brack (10 May 1920 – 11 February 1999) was an Australian painter, and a member of the Antipodeans group. According to one critic, Brack's early works captured the idiosyncrasies of their time "more powerfully and succinctly than any Aust ...
, the celebrated novels of Australian manners ''
They're a Weird Mob'' (1957) by Nino Culotta (
John O'Grady) and ''My Brother Jack'' (1964) by
George Johnston, and
Robin Boyd's fierce critique of Australian architecture ''
The Australian Ugliness'' (1960).
Typically the Australian dream focused upon ownership of a
detached house
A single-family detached home, also called a single-detached dwelling, single-family residence (SFR) or separate house is a free-standing residential building. It is defined in opposition to a multi-family residential dwelling.
Definitions
...
(often single storey) on a
quarter acre suburban block, surrounded by a garden, which featured in the back a
Hills Hoist and a
barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque (often shortened to BBQ worldwide; barbie or barby in Australia and New Zealand) is a term used with significant regional and national variations to describe various cooking methods that employ live fire and smoke to coo ...
. Notably, this mirrored the fact that while almost 50% of Australian households owned their homes through the first half of the century, the proportion jumped to more than 70 per cent in the 20 years after World War II. While many Australians saw home ownership as a domestic ideal to aspire to, artists sometimes viewed it as representing a deadening conformism and narrow-mindedness—a critical perspective advanced by Brack's bleak images of uniform box-like houses surrounded by almost identical gardens, as well as Johnston's literary depiction of a rigidly uniform suburbia where neighbours try to police one another's behaviour.
From the 1970s, the Australian dream expanded to cover possession of a
swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming and associated activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built abo ...
in the
back-yard, a second family car, and, for the affluent, either ownership of a beach-house or taking an annual overseas holiday.
An unprecedented and unforeseen rise in property prices during the
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
The COVID-19 pandemic in Australia was a part of the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first confirmed case in Aust ...
during 2020 and 2021, after a long period of low interest rates, has priced many young people out of the market and put "the Australian dream" out of reach for a whole generation.
Homes
The importance of equitable access to housing (rent or buy), in the terms of having the broader economy function in an optimal fashion, cannot be underestimated.
As noted in the conclusion to Chapter 2 – 'Social aspects of home ownership' ('A good house is hard to find' report):
"2.8 The Productivity Commission concluded that:
''Access to affordable and quality housing is central to community wellbeing.''
''Apart from meeting the basic need for shelter, it provides a foundation for family and social stability, and contributes to improved health and educational outcomes and a productive workforce.''
''Thus it enhances both economic performance and 'social capital'.'' (Productivity Commission (2004, p. 3).)
2.52 ''Given its importance in promoting and maintaining a functional, stable and just society, housing should not be considered just another commodity. Many of the social benefits we see flowing from home ownership – such as security, connection to community and control over one's lived environment – can also be conferred through more secure tenancy models''. . . "
There is a growing trend in the housing market, where current home owners are accessing
equity in their home to buy multiple properties, they often engage some kind of
strategy
Strategy (from Greek στρατηγία ''stratēgia'', "troop leadership; office of general, command, generalship") is a general plan to achieve one or more long-term or overall goals under conditions of uncertainty. In the sense of the " a ...
– whether it be Buy and Hold,
Flipping, Renovating for Profit, or some other complicated means to hold and sell properties in an ever-increasing market that can be difficult to navigate. The Australian dream has changed.
In popular culture
The Australian Dream has been expressed in many mainstream movies, poems and books.
*''
Emoh Ruo'' (film) (1985)
*''
Australian Dream'' (film) (1987)
*''
The Castle'' (1997)
Television shows that depict suburban life and the Australian Dream include:
* ''
Kingswood Country'' (1980–1984)
* ''
Neighbours
''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera that has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons and ...
'' (1985–)
* ''
Hey Dad..!'' (1987–1994)
* ''
Kath & Kim'' (2002–2007)
See also
*
American Dream
The "American Dream" is a phrase referring to a purported national ethos of the United States: that every person has the freedom and opportunity to succeed and attain a better life. The phrase was popularized by James Truslow Adams during the ...
*
Chinese Dream
The Chinese Dream, also called the China Dream, is a term closely associated with Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and China's paramount leader. Xi began promoting the phrase as a slogan during a high-profil ...
*
European dream
*
New Zealand dream
Australian economy:
*
Australian economy
*
Australian property bubble
The Australian property bubble is the economic theory that the Australian property market has become or is becoming significantly overpriced and due for a significant downturn (also called a Market correction, correction or Economic collapse, co ...
*
Home ownership in Australia
Home ownership in Australia is considered a key cultural icon, and part of the Australian tradition known as the Australian Dream, Great Australian Dream of "owning a detached house on a fenced block of land."Winter, Ian and Wendy StoneSocial ...
*
Median household income in Australia and New Zealand
Median household income is commonly used to measure the relative prosperity of populations in different geographical locations. It divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median househ ...
References
{{Reflist
Housing in Australia