Regional Victoria must be number one priority

HOUSING must be a top priority leading up to the Victorian state election in November, with regional areas front and centre.

This is the view from the Housing Industry Association as builders, industry leaders and political representatives gather in Wodonga for a Regional Housing Roundtable.

The roundtable brings together housing construction businesses from across north-east Victoria to identify the barriers preventing more homes from being built and the reforms needed to improve housing affordability, strengthen regional economies and grow the construction workforce.

HIA chief executive industry and policy Simon Croft said regional Victoria must be treated as a central pillar of the state’s housing and economic strategy, not an afterthought.

“One in four Victorians, or 25 per cent, live in regional communities, yet too often policy and funding decisions fail to reflect that reality,” Croft said.

“If the next Victorian Government is serious about solving the housing crisis, it must ensure regional Victoria receives its fair share of policies and funding commensurate with its population and its contribution to the state.

“Victoria cannot solve its housing affordability challenges without significantly increasing housing supply and that starts by listening to the businesses building homes on the ground, particularly in regional communities where growth is strong, but constraints are mounting.”

Croft said builders are ready to do more but are being held back.

“Builders are telling us they want to deliver more homes, employ more apprentices and invest in their businesses, but they continue to face planning delays, excessive regulation, workforce shortages and rising costs,” he said.

“Communities like Wodonga are attracting families, workers and businesses, but that growth can only continue if governments back it with the housing, infrastructure and services needed to support it.”

HIA Victoria executive director Keith Ryan said the message from industry across regional Victoria was consistent and urgent.

“Builders want to build, but they need governments to remove the barriers standing in their way,” Ryan said.

“Across regional Victoria, we’re hearing the same concerns: constrained land supply, slow and complex planning processes, rising taxes and charges, and ongoing workforce shortages.

“With over 25 per cent of Victorians living in the regions, there must be a clear commitment from all parties to ensure regional communities receive funding and policy attention in line with their share of the population.”

Ryan said recent trends highlighted the mounting pressures facing the industry.

“New home sales in Victoria declined by 27.4 per cent in May and governments are compounding these headwinds with rushed and last-minute changes, including the introduction of the first resort home warranty scheme and new building contract laws,” he said.

“If we are serious about improving affordability, we need policies that make it easier to deliver housing – not more difficult.”

Ryan said today’s roundtable will reinforce the importance of putting regional voices front and centre in the election campaign.

“The people around the table today are the ones building homes, employing local workers and supporting regional economies every day,” he said.

“Their experience should shape the policies that determine whether Victoria can meet its future housing needs.”