West is lagging behind in new home builds
Statistics show WA is well short of its target to build more new homes as part of the National Housing Accord targets.
WESTERN Australia has fallen more than 6600 homes short of its National Housing Accord target, according to Property Council analysis of new Australian Bureau of Statistics data.
The ABS recorded that only 4441 homes were built across Western Australia in the December 2025 quarter. It is a 13.5 per cent drop in the number of homes completed compared to the September quarter and the fourth consecutive quarterly drop for the state.
For WA to build its share of the Accord’s 1.2 million new home target by the end of June 2029, it will need to construct 130,000 houses – or about 6500 each quarter.
Since the Accord’s reporting period began in July 2024, 32,361 homes have been built in WA, 6639 completions short of where the state should be to meet its target.
At the current rate of completion, Western Australia will finish more than 20,000 homes below its Accord aim.
Nicola Brischetto, Property Council WA executive director, said she anticipates this figure will only get worse, as fuel disruptions, chronic labour shortages and rising material costs flow through to the number of new homes being built.
“Prior to the Middle East conflict, our members were reporting that construction costs were showing signs of stabilisation. Hopes of that stabilisation holding are now fading fast,” Brischetto said.
“The Property Council, along with other industry bodies and the WA Government, are closely monitoring the impacts of the Middle East conflict on the residential construction sector.
“If the crisis continues, the government will need to take more aggressive action to ensure home completions don’t fall further behind.
“We’re entering a crucial period of the National Housing Accord. The state needs to dramatically increase the number of dwellings being built or home ownership will move beyond reach for more West Australians.”
