[5] The key to enforcing "urban consolidation" on an Australian populace who still desire the freedom of their own home and backyard has been planning laws which ban or heavily restrict greenfield development;[6] however some have criticised this as leading to extreme house prices.
It was given a different slant by journalist Stan Grant, first in a 2015 address which went viral,[8][9] followed by a 2016 essay entitled "The Australian Dream: Blood, History And Becoming",[10] and lastly his 2019 documentary film The Australian Dream, which examines the role of racism in Australia, past and present, and questions of national and Indigenous identity, using the racial abuse of footballer Adam Goodes as a starting point.
The dream flowered in the 1950s and 1960s due chiefly to the expansion of Australian manufacturing, low unemployment rates, the baby boom and the removal of rent controls.
[citation needed] Typically the Australian dream focused upon ownership of a detached house (often single storey) on a quarter acre suburban block, surrounded by a garden, which featured in the back a Hills Hoist and a barbecue.
Notably, this mirrored the fact that while almost 50% of Australian households owned their homes through the first half of the century, the proportion jumped to more than 70 per cent in the 20 years after World War II.
[citation needed] From the 1970s, the Australian dream expanded to cover possession of a swimming pool in the back-yard, a second family car, and, for the affluent, either ownership of a beach-house or taking an annual overseas holiday.
Apart from meeting the basic need for shelter, it provides a foundation for family and social stability, and contributes to improved health and educational outcomes and a productive workforce.