Housing industry details reform agenda

The national peak housing body has outlined its priorities for industry reform in Victoria ahead of an anticipated state government housing statement.

Housing Industry Association has written to housing, planning and consumer affairs ministers detailing its position on critical areas for reform.

HIA said it expects the Victorian government to release a Housing Statement this month.

Industry figures expect the coming statement to be wide-reaching across the housing sector, covering contentious topics including rental caps, short-stay accommodation and planning reform.

The peak body said the statement should “include a mixture of measures to increase the supply of housing and provide confidence to all segments of the housing industry that they have a bright future”.

HIA outlines its priority areas as:

• Planning: expediting new projects that provide more affordable, well built and designed housing options that meet the needs of all Victorians
• Land supply: getting more land brought to market and “shovel ready” sooner.
• Property taxes: lowering property taxes to improve affordability of housing, connecting people with better social and employment outcomes.
• Domestic building contracts: improving confidence and certainty for builders and homeowners, and the quality of home building contract regulations generally
• Building standards: helping industry prepare and consumers understand major impending changes to the design and construction of homes is vital for occupant comfort and energy efficiency, and
• Skills and training: ensuring the residential construction industry has the people and skills needed to meet Victoria’s housing needs, now and into the future.

“HIA acknowledges the Victorian Government has prioritised housing reform,” the organisation stated last month.

“HIA’s Action Plan is designed to spur this focus and encourage a whole of government approach to addressing housing supply and demand challenges that improve housing affordability and expand housing choice.

“Doing so will raise economic prosperity, individual wellbeing, and community liveability.”

HIA has released its full action plan for housing reform agenda on its website.

The document provides further detail on the peak body’s priority areas, reasons it believes reform is necessary, and suggested actions for policy makers that could address concerns.