Industry Issues
Select Committee into land development and planning
Last night a member alert was issued in response to the Hon. Neil Thompson’s MLC motion to establish a Select Committee into Land Development & Planning in WA.
The motion was passed in the Upper House of Parliament with amendments as follows:
- That a select committee into land development and planning in Western Australia be established.
- That the select committee inquire into and report on matters relating to land use planning, land transactions, and development in Western Australia, with particular regard to the optimality, efficiency, integrity, and probity of decisions made by the state and state agencies, including:
- in relation to land use planning decisions, the extent to which such decisions align with established local planning schemes, strategies, policies, and frameworks, particularly where made by the Western Australian Planning Commission or development assessment panels, including but not limited to decisions made under the so-called significant development pathway;
- how decisions are aligned with elements of key strategic planning documents such as Perth and Peel@ 3.5 Million, including meeting infill targets;
- in relation to land transaction decisions, the extent to which such decisions adhere to principles of probity and transparency, particularly where made by agencies such as DevelopmentWA, the Housing Authority, the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, or the Western Australian Planning Commission; and
- high-profile development decisions to which the government has committed or which are currently under consideration, including but not limited to the proposed Burswood motorsports facility development, the Smith’s Beach development proposal, and the Westport Project, including associated land use planning matters for related to transport, industry and infrastructure.
- That the select committee is able to provide interim reports to the Western Australian Parliament on some matters, including urgent matters, where appropriate.
- That the select committee report no later than 12 months after the date on which this motion is agreed to.
- That the select committee shall consist of six members.
Members of the Select Committee have been confirmed as:
- Hon. Neil Thomson MLC (Chair- LIB)
- Hon. Dr Brad Pettit MLC (Deputy Chair – Greens)
- Hon. Anthony Spagnolo MLC (LIB)
- Hon. Amanda Dorn MLC (AJP)
- Hon. Dan Caddy MLC (ALP)
- Hon. Lauren Cayoun MLC (ALP)
UDIA WA continues to actively engage with all levels of government in order to deliver more homes, faster. Having consistently advocated for a bipartisan approach to planning, today’s motion is demonstrative of the continued politicisation of the system which facilitates desperately needed homes for Western Australians.
UDIA WA looks forward to the opportunity to present to the Select Committee, highlighting the commercial and market realities of development within a complex regulatory environment that have not been considered in debating this motion in Parliament today.
We welcome an evidence-based discussion on how to improve the planning system for all stakeholders that is focused on outcomes over politics, and how to deliver more homes for those who need it.
Please feel welcome to reach out to UDIA WA CEO Tanya Steinbeck or UDIA WA Executive Director Strategy & Policy Sarah Macaulay with any queries.
UDIA WA Council Nominations close Monday
Nominations are open for eight positions on the 2025 – 2027 UDIA WA Council and will close on Monday 18 August 2025.
Among the eight positions available, the role of President is also up for nomination. The eight newly appointed positions will join ongoing elected Councillors Richard Pappas (Celsius Property), Jane Bennett (CLE Town Planning & Design), Ryan Hunter (Parcel Property) and Andrew Wallis (Stockland).
UDIA WA encourages applicants from a diverse range of professional backgrounds and experience to nominate for these leadership roles. Our goal is to establish and maintain a leadership group that reflects the diverse nature of the industry and the communities that we represent.
Successful nominees will be announced at UDIA WA’s Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 22 October 2025 at the UDIA WA offices from 11:30am.
Policy Committee Updates
Advocacy & Thought Leadership Strategic Committee
Conversation focused on land supply, especially with respect to the growth corridors across Perth and Peel. The purpose of the discussion was to shape the forward-looking advocacy items which UDIA WA and it’s Operational Committees should be focusing on moving forward. Following this, brief discussion about infill priorities and the scope of the next meeting was had as this will be discussed at the final meeting of the year.
Environment & Climate Action Operational Committee
The meeting focussed on UDIA WA’s ongoing engagement with DCCEEW including the potential for better coordination between the State and Commonwealth to streamline approvals processes. Discussion also covered the mandatory carbon reporting requirements and the potential impact it could have on the industry as well as UDIA WA’s work following the development of a paper on a strategic approach to offsets and the next steps involved in seeing the approach realised.
Infrastructure Operational Committee
The Committee discussed UDIA WA’s upcoming Infrastructure Summit and any additional areas of interest that those involved in the event may want to see covered. Additionally, we discussed challenges with delivery in parts of the southwest, basic raw material availability across Perth and potential risks to supply as well as the usage of other materials including clay and recycled materials for fill purposes as accessible sand resources become diminished across certain areas.
UDIA WA’s Infrastructure Summit will take place Thursday 13 November at the University Club of Western Australia. Key topics that will be explored at the summit include:
- State government Priority areas
- National Housing Pipeline findings
- National Housing Supply Council
- Key Disconnects hindering housing supply
- Agency Priorities
Register for UDIA WA’s Infrastructure Summit.
Masterplanned Communities Operational Committee
The meeting discussed the outcomes of the Advocacy & Thought Leadership Committee and where the committee felt they would be best placed to assist. Additionally, concerns around DCPs in certain areas were discussed, the upcoming changes to the WA Planning Manual and the associated consultation process as well as the R-Code Review and how UDIA will be engaged in the process.
Infill Developments & Precincts Operational Committee
The meeting focussed on the ongoing engagement with Keystart in their new capacity as a GTE and how that can be leveraged to boost development in infill areas, the R-Code Review and how UDIA will be involved in that process. The Committee also debated the current infill target and how this can better defined and aligned with where infill development is occurring. This discussion will be taken to the Advocacy & Though Leadership Committee at their next meeting.
Last Chance: UDIA NHP Developer Survey!
The 2025 National Housing Pipeline® (NHP) Developer Survey closes tomorrow!
Survey contributions are essential to ensure reporting remains robust, up-to-date, and influential. The data and insights generated by the UDIA NHP addresses a key gap in the government’s understanding of ‘development-ready’ land supply and is a vital component to our ongoing advocacy and policy engagement.
UDIA WA and UDIA National extends a very warm vote of thanks to all of our developer members who complete the 2025 NHP Developer Survey and encourage all queries and questions about the survey and the broader UDIA National Housing Pipeline® (NHP) project to be directed to UDIA WA’s Head of Research (and the NHP Project Lead) Toby Adams.
A better way to build with the Hon. John Carey
We were delighted to host over 250 industry guests for our Industry Breakfast with the Hon. John Carey MLA Minister for Planning and Lands; Housing and Works; Health Infrastructure last week to discuss a better way to build: WA’s Machinery of Government reforms in action.
Minister Carey outlined the four priorities driving the Cook government’s response to the current housing supply challenges:
- To keep driving an increase to social and affordable housing
- Deliver projects that have received funding from the Housing Australian Future Fund (HAFF)
- Delivering on election commitments including the new shared equity scheme with Keystart, the new Housing innovation Fund, the Build-to-Rent kickstart fund, and the Regional Housing Fund
- To push policy reform to ensure WA has the best policy settings for housing supply
Designed to break down governmental silos and to streamline delivery, nine departments were restructured, and two new departments were created – the Department of Transport and major infrastructure and the Department of Housing and Works. The departmental restructuring has enabled the consolidation of expertise into a central team, reduced duplication and to streamline government process.
Further reforms have included the transition of Keystart to a Government Trade Enterprise, broadening Keystart’s scope granting it more flexibility to enable West Australians to get into their own home, and to provide greater accountability and oversight.
Mr Carey underscored that the state government is committed to plan early, improve coordination, and de-risk the approval processes for housing supply through the acceleration of the approvals process; finding and removing bottlenecks for infrastructure provision; the creation of the Housing Approval System within the Department of Water Environmental Regulation to accelerate the provision and coordination of advice for land and housing developments; the establishment of two working groups to proactively identify infrastructure requirements to unlock strategic growth areas. Additionally, the Western Australian Planning Commission have been tasked with the review of the Residential Design codes to simplify the codes through improved structure and reduce duplication across other guides such as the National Construction Code.
Following the Minister’s keynote address, Leon McIvor (Director General, Department of Housing and Works), Mark Tomasz (CEO, Keystart), Grant Shepherd (Residential Director, Hesperia), and Norm Roberts (Executive Chair, Offsite) took to the stage to continue the conversation through a robust panel discussion facilitated by the UDIA WA CEO Tanya Steinbeck.
The panel explored the potential of modern methods of construction to deliver homes to market faster, the initial strategic priorities of the newly formed Department of Housing and Works, how Keystart changes will enable more direct involvement in facilitating housing supply and the overall importance of cultural transformation within state government to facilitate housing supply.
Thank you to OFFSITE for their support of this event.
Community engagement was another hot topic of discussion at the industry breakfast, and the need for greater community understanding around infill development, as well as social and affordable housing.
Continue this important conversation at our next Industry Luncheon that will focus on community engagement and a clear vision for Perth as a more compact and connected City on 21 August.
Today is your last opportunity to register.
Home building contract law input
The Cook Labor Government is inviting the building industry to be part of the review of Western Australia’s home building contract laws. The review considers the Home Building Contracts Act 1991 (except Part 3A); and the dispute resolution/complaint process in Parts 2 and 3 of the Building Services (Complaint Resolution and Administration) Act 2011 aiming to ensure that the State legislation remains fit for purpose.
Builders are encouraged to share their valuable insights and have a say on any improvements to the legislation by completing the home building contracts law review survey.
The survey will be open until 12 September 2025, and responses will help inform proposals in a Green Paper to be released later for public comment.
Congratulations Colliers Engineering & Design!
As part of our recent membership renewal process, every member that paid their membership in full by June 30 went into a draw to win a table of 10 at one of our fantastic industry lunches, valued at $1,938.
We are incredibly pleased to announce that this year, Colliers Engineering & Design are the lucky winners!
We look forward to seeing the Colliers Engineering & Design team at one of our upcoming lunches.
Congratulations, and we want to say to all our members, thank you for supporting UDIA WA as we embark on another year of successfully representing our members across the housing continuum.
Expressions of Interest: Joondalup Design Review Panel
The City of Joondalup are seeking expressions of interest from design professionals to join the Joondalup Design Review Panel (JDRP).
The purpose of the JDRP is to provide independent performance-based design advice on large scale planning proposals. This advice is used to assist the City and applicants in refining and enhancing the design of planning proposals and to inform planning decisions.
The City is looking to draw from a pool of up to ten design professionals, including a chairperson, deputy chairperson and eight panel members for a term of two years. The monthly JDRP meetings are generally held on a Wednesday at 10:30am and each meeting is proposed to comprise a maximum of six members.
Suitably qualified professionals with demonstrated experience in architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, sustainability, or other related specialist design professions are invited to nominate for membership.
Nominations can be sent to Chris Leigh, Director Planning and Community Development, via email.
At the completion of the nomination period, nominations will be evaluated by the City, and panel members appointed by Council following the local government elections in October 2025.
For more information, visit the City of Joondalup’s website or call Cathrine Temple, Manager Planning Services on 9400 4000.
Nominations close at 5:00pm on Monday 25 August 2025.
Policy Committee Updates
Advocacy & Thought Leadership Strategic Committee
Conversation focused on land supply, especially with respect to the growth corridors across Perth and Peel. The purpose of the discussion was to shape the forward-looking advocacy items which UDIA WA and it’s Operational Committees should be focusing on moving forward. Following this, brief discussion about infill priorities and the scope of the next meeting was had as this will be discussed at the final meeting of the year.
Environment & Climate Action Operational Committee
The meeting focussed on UDIA WA’s ongoing engagement with DCCEEW including the potential for better coordination between the State and Commonwealth to streamline approvals processes. Discussion also covered the mandatory carbon reporting requirements and the potential impact it could have on the industry as well as UDIA WA’s work following the development of a paper on a strategic approach to offsets and the next steps involved in seeing the approach realised.
Infrastructure Operational Committee
The Committee discussed UDIA WA’s upcoming Infrastructure Summit and any additional areas of interest that those involved in the event may want to see covered. Additionally, we discussed challenges with delivery in parts of the southwest, basic raw material availability across Perth and potential risks to supply as well as the usage of other materials including clay and recycled materials for fill purposes as accessible sand resources become diminished across certain areas.
UDIA WA’s Infrastructure Summit will take place Thursday 13 November at the University Club of Western Australia. Key topics that will be explored at the summit include:
- State government Priority areas
- National Housing Pipeline findings
- National Housing Supply Council
- Key Disconnects hindering housing supply
- Agency Priorities
Register for UDIA WA’s Infrastructure Summit.
Masterplanned Communities Operational Committee
The meeting discussed the outcomes of the Advocacy & Thought Leadership Committee and where the committee felt they would be best placed to assist. Additionally, concerns around DCPs in certain areas were discussed, the upcoming changes to the WA Planning Manual and the associated consultation process as well as the R-Code Review and how UDIA will be engaged in the process.
Infill Developments & Precincts Operational Committee
The meeting focussed on the ongoing engagement with Keystart in their new capacity as a GTE and how that can be leveraged to boost development in infill areas, the R-Code Review and how UDIA will be involved in that process. The Committee also debated the current infill target and how this can better defined and aligned with where infill development is occurring. This discussion will be taken to the Advocacy & Though Leadership Committee at their next meeting.
National Update
UDIA National is preparing options for the Federal Government to consider how best to roll out the $10bn fund for 100,000 first homebuyer dwellings.
Labor will work with states and industry partners to identify suitable projects, including use of government land that is vacant or underutilised. To get projects moving quickly, States and Territories will fast-track land release, upzoning and planning approvals. The application will also need quick turnaround on projects that will or may qualify.
With the $10 billion investment will be made up of $2 billion in grants and $8 billion in zero-interest loans. With limited appetite from the WA State Government for loans, grant funding priorities proposed by UDIA WA include a focus on infrastructure and project capital contributions for unfeasible projects that deliver first home buyer product.