The Property Council of Australia (SA) says this week’s Australian Bureau of Statistics dwelling commencements and completions figures show South Australia is making encouraging progress on housing delivery, but the State Government’s own target of 13,500 homes is far too low for not only what is required for our state in the National Housing Accord, but also unusually unambitious for a government, which routinely talks up their ambition.
The 14,130 homes completed in SA by the year ending March 2026 is well short of the State’s National Housing Accord Target of approx. 16,700 homes. The ABS figures show South Australia completed 3,727 dwellings during the March quarter, up from 3,699 in the December quarter and 3,080 a year earlier, representing a 21 per cent increase over the year. Despite the improvement, the State still remains below the approximately 4,191 homes required each quarter to meet South Australia’s share of the National Housing Accord target. As a percentage to target, South Australia is also outpaced by other Australian jurisdictions – with Victoria (32 per cent), Western Australia (28 per cent) and ACT (34 per cent) ahead of SA’s 27.8 per cent of target currently met.
Meanwhile, dwelling commencements eased to 3,791 during the March quarter from 4,043 in the December quarter, although they remained slightly above the same quarter last year. Nationally, commencements fell by 11.2 per cent over the quarter. Property Council SA Executive Director Bruce Djite said the housing conversation had shifted considerably over the past two years, with governments increasingly recognising that increasing supply is the key to improving affordability. “Broadly we would categorise the government as ambitious. Routinely talking up nuclear submarine delivery, Olympic Dam’s potential expansion, major event coups and its housing delivery credentials,” Mr Djite said. “However, setting itself a conservative target of 13,500 homes against a nationally agreed goal of 16,700, which is now even higher following consecutive quarters of missing that target, is uncharacteristically unambitious.
Mr Djite said the Property Council SA’s election platform, Ready, Set, Grow, outlined practical reforms that would help convert positive policy intent into completed homes. “Our Ready, Set, Grow pre-election platform outlined practical reforms that will help convert good policy into housing outcomes. That means faster and more certain planning approvals, investing in enabling infrastructure, supporting apartment development in the CBD and along corridors, and creating the confidence the private sector needs to keep investing.” “These aren’t simply policy ideas. They’re practical measures to help South Australia build the homes our growing population needs.”
He said recent initiatives, including support for apartment development in the CBD and proposed planning reform, demonstrated encouraging intent. “Whilst we are tracking in the right direction. The real challenge is ensuring reforms translate into more projects commencing, more dwellings being completed and ultimately more South Australians being able to find an affordable, well-located place to live.”
