The Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA WA) has welcomed the Cook Government’s Mid-Year Review announcements today, which continue to maintain a strong focus on delivering much needed housing supply.
The Review includes a further $435.5 million investment in housing across Perth and regional Western Australia, with $16.5 million allocated through the Housing Enabling Infrastructure Fund (HEIF) for water infrastructure to enable residential housing development.
“The HEIF was established 12 months ago off the back of recommendations made in UDIA WA’s Growth Areas Infrastructure Requirements Report, which identified key growth areas where improved planning, funding and delivery of infrastructure could facilitate up to 90,000 new homes,” UDIA WA CEO Tanya Steinbeck said.
“The continued allocation of funding through the HEIF announced today, is critical to enabling better coordination, early planning and greater certainty for residential projects, as well as more efficient delivery of much-needed homes,” Ms Steinbeck said.
“Overcoming infrastructure constraints in key areas through effective planning, coordination and timely delivery of infrastructure to catalyse development and create new homes is paramount,” Ms Steinbeck said.
“Given private industry delivers approximately 95% of new housing supply in Western Australia, it is imperative that measures continue to support industry in delivering the housing we need,” Ms Steinbeck said.
UDIA WA will release an updated Growth Areas Infrastructure Requirements Report in the new year, which will assist the State Government in identifying further areas requiring funding through the HEIF.
“We were very pleased with the establishment of the HEIF following our initial report and look forward to continuing to work with government to identify future investment priorities,” Ms Steinbeck said.
UDIA WA also presented a formal Pre-Budget Submission to the Treasurer earlier this week to help inform the 2026–27 State Budget.
“Our submission outlines well researched and evidence based investment recommendations across three key focus areas,” Ms Steinbeck said.
“Our focus is on making it easier to create the homes we need; helping to keep the cost of homes down; and planning for our housing needs now and into the future.”
UDIA WA’s key ‘asks’ in the Pre-Budget Submission include:
- Additional funding for the Water Corporation for capital works to support residential development
- Extending and expanding the Infrastructure Development Fund
- Creating a facility for low-interest mezzanine finance loans and underwriting of stock to boost medium- and higher-density project viability
- Funding to scope and progress the development of an online platform for Western Australia’s planning and development system
- Continuing to build on the initial investment in the $400 million Housing Enabling Infrastructure Fund
These and several additional recommendations, including the estimated funding required for each ‘ask’, are clearly articulated in UDIA WA’s Pre-Budget Submission, which can be downloaded below.
“UDIA WA has welcomed the Cook Government’s collaborative approach to date in addressing the State’s critical housing supply crisis, and we look forward to continuing that approach into 2026 as we work through the ongoing challenges of meeting the housing needs of all Western Australians,” Ms Steinbeck said.