Property Council budget submission reiterates its call to unlock housing by funding trunk
infrastructure in State Budget
The Property Council has reiterated its call for the Malinauskas Government to unlock housing sites by debt funding water and sewerage trunk infrastructure in the upcoming State Budget.
Following admissions that large tracts of land, designated for housing in an effort to address the housing crisis are not connected to trunk infrastructure for water and sewerage, the Property Council is appealing for depoliticization, leadership and funding to address chronic underinvestment in essential services delivery in South Australia.
Property Council’s South Australian Executive Director, Bruce Djite said that developers already pay their fair share, and that funding trunk infrastructure should not be shouldered by developers, especially during a cost-of-living crisis and as houses are already unaffordable.
“What we are seeking in the Budget is for the State Government to make a significant and immediate injection of funding for the pipes that enable developers to deliver housing on their sites,” Mr Djite said.
“It is important to be clear that developers already pay for the construction of water and sewerage infrastructure within their developments”, Mr Djite said.
“Housing developments are much like the branches of a tree that require a healthy trunk to support growth.”
“It’s as simple as this – South Australia cannot sustainably deliver more housing without adequate government funding in essential trunk infrastructure.”
“Any suggestion that developers will need to pay for this now or in the future will further exacerbate the housing crisis, slow supply, increase house prices and fail the test of intergenerational equity.”
The Property Council’s pre-budget submission calls for:
• A debt funded capex provision in FY25 and over the forward estimates for trunk infrastructure in addition to what is already proposed in SA Water’s draft regulatory business plan. This funding should be in excess of existing and suggested section 6 directions.
• A competitive, market tested procurement process that drives expenditure accountability and taxpayer value for money to support trunk infrastructure delivery.
