608 | REIA President: Are Governments Making the Housing Crisis Worse? – Chat with Jacob Cain

You can watch the YouTube video here.

Recorded just days after Victoria welcomed a new Premier, this conversation couldn’t have come at a more pivotal time. 

Ben and Shane sit down with Jacob (Jake) Caine, President of the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) and the Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA), to unpack one question that’s shaping the future of Australia’s property market: 

Are governments solving the right problem… or creating new ones? 

From Victoria’s rental reforms and proposed auction reserve price changes to the Federal Government’s new tax policies and anti-money laundering (AML) laws, Jake explains why the industry believes many well-intentioned reforms are producing unintended consequences. 

Drawing on REIA’s Senate evidence, independent modelling and frontline industry experience, the conversation explores what these changes could mean for housing supply, affordability, investor confidence and everyday Australians looking to buy, sell or rent property. 

If you’ve been wondering whether the latest reforms are helping or hurting, this episode will be your answer. Listen now! 

Free Stuff Mentioned

Resources from the Episode: 

• Nathan Mawby: Property sector puts Ben Carroll on notice over Allan’s ‘damaging’ reforms
• REIA:
  • Opening Statement to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee    
  • Property prices rise nationally as rental markets tighten further 
• REIV:  The 8-Point Blueprint for Marketing of Residential Real Estate in Victoria 
• Jake’s Article for The Age, 11 August 2025, “Peak real estate lobby backs underquoting overhaul”

Guests & Episodes Mentioned:  

• 595 | Building Inspections, Hidden Defects & A Risky Govt Proposal (Buying a Home | Part 2) – Chat with Paul Baker & Myles Clark 

Timestamps

• 0:00 – 608 | REIA President: Are Governments Making Housing Crisis Worse – Chat with Jacob Cain 
• 2:30 – Why REIV Says Government Stopped Listening 
• 10:20 – Jake’s Money Story: Boom, Bust & Balance
• 13:55 – Federal Tax Reforms Explained 
• 16:05 – REIA’s Senate Warning 
• 21:20 – Why Housing Supply Could Fall 
• 24:05 – The Hidden Cost of Investor Behaviour 
• 26:25 – Victoria’s Auction Reform Proposal 
• 31:45 – REIV’s Eight Better Solutions 
• 36:05 – Why Sellers Will Change Strategy 
• 38:25 – More Transparent… Or Less? 
• 41:20 – REIV’s Better Alternative 
• 45:20 – AML Laws: What Buyers Need to Know 
• 49:30 – A Rare Example of Good Consultation 
• 57:30 – The Real Cost of AML Compliance
• 1:01:35 – Can Victoria Recover? 
• 1:05:15 – The Biggest Barrier to Housing Supply