Australia’s peak body for architecture has urged the government to focus on regulatory reform and quality design to boost housing supply, welcoming a key inquiry into the nation’s housing bottlenecks.
Responding to the Productivity Commission’s interim report into the regulation of housing supply, the Australian Institute of Architects noted that fixing systemic inefficiencies across all levels of government is vital to tackling Australia’s ongoing housing challenges.
Australian Institute of Architects National President David Wagner stressed that design quality and regulatory efficiency must go hand in hand.
“Good design, coupled with an effective regulatory system, is essential to ensuring that we can meet our housing targets while making sure that we’re building communities where people want to live,” Wagner said.
Feedback from architects across the country indicates that housing delivery is rarely blocked by a single rule or planning hurdle. Instead, progress is stalled by broader operational friction, including approval pathway delays, poor infrastructure coordination, post-approval friction, project feasibility constraints, and workforce shortages.
Wagner pointed out that housing growth cannot occur in a vacuum and must be closely integrated with essential community infrastructure and broader intergovernmental planning.
“The most effective reforms will be those that improve coordination, reduce duplication, address feasibility, and ensure that planning intent is translated into completed homes in appropriate locations,” Mr Wagner said.
The Institute noted that the Productivity Commission’s interim findings closely align with its own submissions presented in June, which called for streamlined planning frameworks and better alignment between state, federal, and local councils.
The peak body confirmed it will continue to consult with the Productivity Commission ahead of the release of the final report to ensure architectural expertise helps shape future housing policy.
