Are our planning and housing systems contributing to the wealth divide in Australia, making our post code one of the strongest predictors of life outcomes in this country? This paper investigates how long-standing features of Australia’s planning and housing delivery frameworks keep the “Bottom Million” at the bottom. It also highlights how small, strategic adjustments could unlock meaningful change across Queensland.
Drawing on Paul Collier’s idea of the bottom billion, adapted locally by Noel Pearson, this perspective gives shape to the growing population shut out of secure, affordable housing in both public and private spheres.
As social housing becomes harder to access and private market competition intensifies, a significant cohort of Queenslanders is being left behind—stranded in a space where options shrink and the housing shortage feels increasingly insurmountable.
And the divide is widening, particularly with the flow of the great inheritance.
Through targeted scenario testing, this paper uncovers the correlations and hidden drivers that shape housing accessibility and reveals where the system can be shifted to make a real difference.

Another essential dimension is participation: does the current planning system make it harder for the Bottom Million to be heard? Whose submissions actually influence development applications? Whose voices prevail in community consultations? Perhaps this divide is not only about age but also about wealth—deepening an economic split between those with influence and those rendered invisible.

This work is not about assigning blame but rather the systemic causes. Real-world examples and actionable recommendations will help show what meaningful progress can look like.