A new scheme aimed at boosting housing supply has now opened.

The Federal Government’s $500 million Housing Support Program is open for applications from state, territory and local governments for projects that will boost the planning required to increase housing supply.

The first stage is focused on projects that will build the location’s planning workforce and therefore improve the efficiency of the planning process so construction can start sooner.

Property Council of Australia, Chief Executive Mike Zorbas says everything that can possibly done to meet the Federal Government’s housing goal needs to be done.
“We need to disrupt decades of undersupply by providing incentives that no state or local political leader can walk past,” he says.

“We know unresponsive planning systems across the country are the biggest barrier to housing supply and affordability, so any initiative to streamline these processes is welcome.”

He says only supply will improve affordability for low-income households.