While older Australians have enjoyed financial stability, younger generations are struggling, primarily due to recent monetary policies. The CBA’s assessment shows that younger people, largely homeowners with mortgages, are facing increasing financial burdens.
Data indicates a significant decrease in home ownership rates among younger Australians, whereas older age groups maintain stable ownership rates. While anticipated by some, this information paints a clear picture of how economic strategies implemented by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) have selectively impacted different age groups.
The purpose behind the RBA's significant interest rate hikes was to specifically target individuals with mortgages—a group predominantly consisting of younger households. In the words of a CBA analyst, "RBA’s monetary tightening was intentionally designed to curb spending by affecting mortgage holders.”
Your typical Australian with a mortgage today will pay about 50% more in monthly repayments than they did before these rate hikes began. This surge has significantly reduced their available disposable income, presenting a pressing financial challenge.
Conversely, older Australians, many of whom possess substantial savings, have benefited from increased interest on their deposits, effectively increasing their disposable income. This has permitted a marked difference in available financial resources between the generations.
Adding to the financial pressures on younger Australians is the considerable rise in rental costs. Although rentals have skyrocketed, the RBA's monetary strategy has played a minor role. Instead, these increases are largely propelled by unprecedented immigration levels, a move driven by the federal government.
In fact, older generations remain largely insulated from these rental surges, boasting a home ownership rate of approximately 80%. This high ownership rate means older Australians are less vulnerable to rent fluctuations, further highlighting the economic disparities.
While the RBA's tactics are achieving their goal of dampening overall demand by reducing disposable income among mortgage-heavy, younger Australians, they also expose an intergenerational inequity. Critics argue the current approach is lopsided, exacerbating financial difficulties for the young without adequately addressing broader inflationary pressures.
The pressing issue lies in the absence of federal government intervention to distribute financial challenges more equitably across generational lines. By embarking on its most ambitious immigration strategy to date, the government has unintentionally compounded the hardships faced by young Australians by driving both property prices and rents upwards.
The CBA study serves as a reminder of the growing economic gulf between the young and old, urging policymakers to consider a more balanced approach that addresses this generational divide with an equitable sharing of economic challenges.
