With two weeks remaining until the Federal Election on 21 May 2022, UDIA National has achieved some significant advocacy wins.

Key achievements from the last six weeks include many UDIA National policy announcement wins materially influenced by our Pre-budget Submission, inquiry submissions and Federal Election Platform:

Liberal/National Coalition

  • 50,000 places annually under the Home Guarantee Scheme in line with our engagement with Government, to ensure Australians in urban and regional areas can obtain a Government guarantee to buy a home sooner, with a smaller deposit, and avoid Loan Mortgage insurance.
  • $128.5 million Environmental Protection and Biodiversity (EPBC) Act reforms package, including a single point of contact system and several other reforms in line with our recommendations. This sets Australia on the pathway towards a simplified, streamlined environmental approvals system.
  • Increasing NHFIC’s liability cap by an additional $2.0 billion to $5.5 billion which will support around 10,000 more affordable dwellings for vulnerable Australians and bring more new dwellings to fruition. Increasing NHFIC funding and boosting supply has been a critical platform for UDIA National.
  • Increase to net overseas migration – 180,000 are expected in 2022-2023 and 213,000 arrivals are allocated in 2023-24, in line with UDIA National calls to increase migration beyond pre-pandemic levels to bolster economic recovery.
  • Additional $37 billion in city shaping infrastructure funding commitments for road and rail projects over the next 10 yrs that will boost jobs and pave the way for the enabling infrastructure needed for housing.

Labor

  • 10,000 places annually under the Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme, a targeted home deposit guarantee scheme allowing first home buyers in regional areas obtain a Government guarantee to buy a home sooner, with a smaller deposit, and avoid Loan Mortgage Insurance.
  • 10,000 places annually in the Help to Buy scheme, a shared equity scheme where the Federal Government will co-purchase up to 40% of new homes and 30% for existing homes, with a 2% deposit and no mortgage insurance.
    Expanded role for National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) to set targets, collect, monitor and report on housing supply and land use framed from UDIA National background briefings with Labor to incentivise boosting of housing supply using NHFIC and NHHA.
  • A New National Housing Supply and Affordability Council will be formed under NHFIC that will manage the housing supply boosting incentives, targets and data in line with UDIA backgrounding on the proper role for NHFIC.
  • National Housing and Homelessness Plan to be developed with a coalition of Government, industry and agency leaders in line with UDIA National calls to design the next home ownership, affordability and homelessness national strategies.

Greens

We have engaged with the Greens and they have made their own policy announcements that are in line with the broad positions we advocate:

  • $2.3 bn pa plan for one million homes to tackle housing affordability for home owners, renters and low income households.

Eliminate the social housing list by 2027. UDIA National Engagement and Alliance wins in line with our Election Platform:

  • The Housing Supply and Affordability inquiry adopted 11 UDIA National recommendations on critical issues that are consistent with our Election Platform – we are pressing all political leaders to adopt the recommendations.
  • Following on from the Federal Budget UDIA National was requested to provide a proposal for incentivising straightforward supply boosting measures that can be implemented immediately.
  • The Offices of both the Minister for Housing and Shadow Minister for Housing have been briefed on and agreed with the principle of using NHFIC and the NHHA to:
    • Incentivise State and Territory Governments to undertake supply boosting initiatives in line with UDIA National election platform
    • Extend the data and research of NHFIC to accurately scope land supply capacity, demographic demand, development performance and roadblocks.
    • Develop target measures through agreement between NHFIC and state and territory governments that are managed against performance by NHFIC.
    • Design new objective metrics to measure real housing performance/targets, including (and specifically), development ready supply pipeline, enabling infrastructure, land/material/labour costs, availability of labour and time taken to navigate planning and development processes.
  • Provided in depth background briefing to Labor senior policy advisers to help them frame the announcement of the expanded role for NHFIC – Labor has been the first to formally adopt this policy.
  • UDIA National has received requests for us to work with NHFIC on housing specific research including designing a Development Ready Land Supply Pipeline metric and other strategic research to advance housing supply across the spectrum and affordability.
  • Working with the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA) to potentially collaborate on an extension of their research into the economic and social impact of affordable housing across all housing types and home ownership. This work will in turn inform Infrastructure Australia’s review of social infrastructure.
  • Working with Power Housing (Community Housing peak body) to determine a suitable joint project across research and/or policy as part of an in-principle agreement to collaborate.
  • The Productivity Commission Inquiry into Housing and Homelessness has agreed to work with us on the new NHHA. This includes potentially incentivising supply boosting measures within the NHHA, with UDIA National involvement in resolving final recommendations.
  • The Greens are aware of our work, in particular the research contained in our media releases, and are open to developing our engagement.
  • Senior Staff Advisors from Labor and Liberal parties are now seeking out the advice of UDIA National on the impact and design of their policies.