The Housing Statement recognised that Victoria needed to dramatically increase housing supply, with Government and industry committing to work together through an Affordability Partnership. However, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that since the inception of the plan in 2023, there have only been 145,000 homes built – 200,000 short of the target so far.
Three years on, the Property Council, Urban Development Institute of Australia, Master Builders and the Housing Industry Association are calling for a renewed partnership with clear accountability, better data and a sharper focus on the barriers preventing housing from getting off the ground.
Property Council of Australia Victorian Executive Director Cath Evans said that a reset is urgently needed in order to deliver the homes Victorians need.
“Three years ago, the Government set a clear ambition to build 80,000 homes a year. Three years on, we are nowhere near that pace,” she said.
“Victoria doesn’t have a housing target problem – it has a housing delivery problem.
“The next Government needs to focus on the policies that activate supply and measure success by what actually gets built. Our proposal for a renewed partnership offers a roadmap for the next government to tackle the housing crisis head-on
“We need to reduce the cost of housing, remove planning bottlenecks and create the confidence investors and developers need to get projects moving.”
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The refreshed partnership must include:
- A commitment to no new taxes or charges and a plan to reduce the volume and rate of existing property taxes and charges;
- A commitment to publishing accurate data across housing sectorsthat identifies where delays are occurring to improve transparency and accountability;
- A plan that aligns government infrastructure spending with the fastest growing areas in Victoria;
- A pledge to continue improving planning processes, including the rollout of the changes made to thePlanning & Environment Act;
- Reduce the red tape and costs for builders including one registration, one fee for practitioners working across multiple registration categories;
- Reformsocial procurement requirements to reduce costs and deliver better value on projects;
- Securing a workforce pipeline throughinitiatives such as financial support to apprentices, students and employers to attract and retain the skills industry needs;
- Securing a stable and ongoing pipeline for modern methods of construction;
- A commitment to genuine consultation on any further policy reform impacting the industry.
