Population growth demands housing reform: Property Council

Australia’s governments have been urged to address our housing and infrastructure problems, as the population nears the 25-million mark.

The Property Council of Australia said the impending landmark is a reminder that governments must “step up their efforts in planning, investing and managing for a growing nation”.

Australia’s major cities are at risk of “a low-amenity, low-liveability future”, unless governments, business and the community rethink how we plan, build and manage our urban areas.

The Property Council has proposed several recommendations, including:

• Enhancing infrastructure funding and finance
• Undertaking reforms in the housing market
• Creating integrated transport authorities
• Striking infrastructure and growth compacts

Chief executive Ken Morrison said population growth has “delivered real economic and social benefits” to Australia and can’t be blamed for poor planning.

“The critical issue is how we plan, invest and manage our cities as they change, creating the infrastructure and services to support this growth while sustaining the quality of life and opportunities that are a hallmark of the Australian experience,” he said.

“We face a clear choice between good growth, supported by good planning, better governance frameworks and more investment in infrastructure, or bad growth, which will come from ad hoc decisions made for the short term and poor investment decisions.”

Mr Morrison said that with the right policies and mindset, a growing Australia can be a catalyst for a prosperous future instead of something to be feared.

Click here to see the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ population clock, which says that there are currently about 24.98 million people in Australia.

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