Media Release
18 June 2008
Master Builders Welcomes Senate Report on
Housing Affordability
Statement by Mr Peter Jones, Chief Economist
Master Builders Australia, the peak body for the building and construction industry, welcomes the release
of a comprehensive Senate Select Committee Report into housing affordability.
Mr Peter Jones, Master Builders Australia’s Chief Economist said, “The report makes a number of
sensible recommendations, essentially confirming that increased supply is the key to improving
Australia’s housing affordability problem.”
“Master Builders Australia agrees with the Report’s finding that an inadequate supply response has
contributed to a chronic housing shortfall estimated at more than 30,000 dwellings per annum.”
He said “Any proposed demand side measures should not be taken in isolation but instead need to be
adopted in a coordinated fashion with supply side measures. Otherwise well intended assistance runs
the risk of being capitalised into higher prices.”
The Senate Report comes in the wake of a number of key initiatives announced by the Rudd
Government, including first Home Saver Accounts, the National Rental Affordability Scheme and the
Housing Affordability Fund. Master Builders has for some time been calling for strategies to increase
housing supply, including:
Unlocking urban infrastructure impediments, particularly at the local government level.
A more streamlined and efficient development approval system.
A review into optimal funding arrangements between the federal, state, territory and local
governments.
State and local governments need to commit to hypothecate more of the taxes and charges back
into the development and building industries.
Mr Jones said, “Strong government leadership particularly at the Federal level is needed to ensure a
coordinated approach in dealing with what is a very complex and critical public policy issue.”
“The Senate Report should ensure that housing affordability is kept active on the political agenda after
suffering for more than a decade from policy neglect at all three levels of government.”
For further information contact:
Peter Jones
Chief Economist
Office: 02 6202 8888
Mobile:
0403 440 838
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