“It is a huge undertaking and a pretty radical move,” she said. “But if the government doesn’t step up, nothing about housing is going to change.”
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton visited a housing development site in Cairns last week. Credit: James Brickwood
Coalition housing spokesman Michael Sukkar has promised $5 billion to help states and others add 500,000 homes.
While the Labor policy offers $100,000 per home on average in grants and loans to the states to overcome financial barriers, the Coalition promises $10,000 per home for infrastructure such as water and power.
“We’ll build more homes than Labor, I think, there’s no doubt about that,” Sukkar said last week.
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Curtin University professor Steven Rowley said the government plan for the 100,000 homes was a positive step if the funding went to those who would build the housing.
“We have seen many attempts within jurisdictions to fast-track land supply and speed up the planning process, but ultimately these fail if the private sector cannot deliver a profit from such sites,” he said.
“There still remains a feasibility gap in much of the country following the very strong cost increases post-COVID, and this continues to put a handbrake on supply.”
University of NSW professor Hal Pawson questioned the Coalition’s claim that it could “unlock” 500,000 homes with $5 billion.
“I don’t think they’ve revealed anything that justifies the striking claim that it will result in 500,000 more homes,” he said.
Pawson, who has researched housing policy since the 1980s, said the 100,000 homes for first home buyers would add to 45,000 homes under other Labor policies, such as the Housing Australia Future Fund and the Social Housing Accelerator. The government’s tax break for major housing projects – called Build to Rent – could add another 80,000 home units, he said.
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“Taking all of the above into account, I think there is not much of a contest when it comes to which of the major parties has the strongest set of policies on housing supply,” he said.
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