澳大利亚生产力委员会发布中期报告，揭示州和地方政府的复杂且相互矛盾的规划规则正在阻碍新住房建设[1]。生产力委员会主席丹妮尔·伍德表示，"过度或设计不当的规定可能会阻止新房建设，使项目变得缓慢且昂贵"[1]。联邦、州和地区政府曾共同承诺在2024年中期至2029年中期间建造120万套新住房，但目前该目标已落后超过20万套[1]。
报告建议进行全面的规划制度改革，包括允许大多数住宅用地建造至少三层建筑、减少或取消最小面积和停车位等限制性规定[1]。尽管悉尼和墨尔本的分区改革已释放了大量建设空间——悉尼65万套、墨尔本98万套——但由于其他限制性规定的存在，这些释放的容量中不到一半在商业上可行[1]。
规划审批过程的繁琐程度也是主要障碍[1]。开发批准费用在3900至22000澳元之间，建筑批准费用在3700至18000澳元之间，新南威尔士州的某些开发项目甚至需要向22个不同的政府机构提交申报[1]。生产力委员会将于次年3月发布最终报告[1]。
Australia's Productivity Commission has identified fragmented and contradictory planning rules across state and local governments as a major obstacle to residential construction, according to an interim report released on the findings.[1] The commission recommends comprehensive planning reform, including allowing most residential land to accommodate at least three-storey buildings and eliminating or reducing restrictions on minimum lot sizes and parking requirements.[1]
Despite zoning reforms in Sydney and Melbourne that have unlocked building capacity for over 1.5 million homes, fewer than half of these projects are commercially viable due to other regulatory barriers.[1] Sydney's zoning overhaul alone released capacity for 650,000 new dwellings, while Melbourne's reforms freed space for 980,000 homes.[1] Development approval fees range from 3,900 to 22,000 Australian dollars, with building approval costs between 3,700 and 18,000 Australian dollars.[1] In some New South Wales projects, developers must submit applications to 22 different government agencies.[1]
The housing shortage is mounting as Australia falls over 200,000 units behind on a joint federal, state, and territorial commitment to build 1.2 million new homes between mid-2024 and mid-2029.[1] Productivity Commission Chair Danielle Wood stated that "poorly designed or excessive regulation can prevent new housing from being built, making projects slow and expensive."[1] The commission's final report is scheduled for release in March of the following year.[1]