Australia's Communications Minister Anika Wells has faced criticism from the Opposition after posting a video that used Woolworths' collectable Ooshie toys to explain the country's housing crisis, with critics branding the comparison "patronising" and "tone deaf". The video, part of Wells' "policy as popular culture" series, aimed to illustrate concepts such as supply and demand, Labor's changes to negative gearing, and the government's first home buyer deposit scheme, but drew accusations that it trivialised the hardship faced by Australians struggling to buy homes.

In the video, titled "Hot Property", Wells compared the shortage of housing to limited Ooshie supply, and likened Labor's 5 per cent deposit scheme to saving $1.50 instead of $30 for a toy. Opposition communications spokeswoman Sarah Henderson called it "embarrassing, puerile nonsense", saying Wells was ignoring the "acute harm" of fewer homes, higher rents and falling confidence, while shadow housing minister Andrew Bragg argued the video showed Labor had "lost control of housing", citing figures suggesting the government will miss its housing target by 220,000 dwellings. Labor's May budget changes restrict negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts to new-build investors from July 2027, despite a 2025 election promise not to touch either policy.