UDIA Victoria Media Release

The Urban Development Institute of Australia, Victoria (UDIA Victoria) welcomes National Cabinet’s commitment to build 1.2 million new homes across Australia, over the next 5 years.

UDIA Victoria’s CEO, Linda Allison, says National Cabinet’s announcement is an important step to combating the growing national housing crisis.

“It is encouraging to see a unified position by state and commonwealth leaders that the key to addressing the current housing crisis is to address supply shortages,” said Ms Allison.

Ms Allison also welcomed the performance-based funding program to address planning bottlenecks.

“Victoria’s planning system is notoriously inefficient and too often impedes beneficial urban development. By the State Government’s own admission, meaningful reform could also add around $7 billion to the State’s economy,” said Ms Allison.

While the incentives to reform planning, zoning and land release processes are a welcome step, Ms Allison cautioned that without ensuring a pipeline of supply throughout Victoria, not just in established suburbs, housing targets will not be met in the short term.

“In the last decade, half of Melbourne’s population growth has occurred in its growth areas. For decades, policy settings have failed to enable the desired shift to increased density in established areas and we’re now facing some of the toughest conditions the industry has seen. To address the supply-demand imbalance, development in our newer areas and the regions is still very much needed.”

“We advocate for housing choice for Victorians – where they live and the type of housing the live in. To turn off the supply tap in our newer suburbs will simply put more demand pressure on other areas and ultimately increase house prices,” said Ms Allison

UDIA Victoria also welcomed the reforms for the rental housing market.

“The decision to not implement rent capping is a significant win for our industry. UDIA Victoria holds that increasing supply is the key to tackling this crisis and the National Cabinet’s decision to back this stance bolsters the industry’s confidence,” said Ms Allison.  

-ENDS-

MEDIA CONTACTS AND REQUESTS FOR INTERVIEW:

Linda Allison, CEO, UDIA Victoria

Email – info@udiavic.com.au