Alan Kohler dead wrong on immigration’s housing impacts

Wednesday 20 May 2026

In November 2025, Alan Kohler presented an excellent explainer video for the ABC, arguing that the surge in net overseas migration from the mid-2000s, driven in part by international students, is a key reason behind the nation’s housing shortage.

“That increase in student numbers contributed to a doubling of immigration in the mid-2000s, and that in turn contributed to an under supply of housing for 15 years”, Kohler argued.

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About the author

Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.