Social Housing Contracts: Does Election Result Matter?

Abstract

This study examines whether election results affect the annual number of social housing contracts in Australia, focusing on the doctrines of public entrepreneurialism and public interventionism associated with political parties. Using panel data analysis of voting rates at electorate level in Queensland State, the study finds that an increase of one standard deviation in the Australian Labor Party’s (ALP) voting rate, compared to the Liberal-National Coalition, corresponds to an increase of 1.07 contracts from the mean value of 21.47. This equates to approximately a 5% increase in the number of social housing contracts managed by Queensland State. The analysis further reveals that the ALP’s voting rate has a disproportionately positive impact on the supply of social housing for indigenous communities. These findings underscore in influencing the provision of social housing and offer insightful implications for policymakers and researchers, suggesting that electoral preferences can serve as a barometer for public demand for social welfare initiatives.