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Advocacy

Advocacy

HIA speaks for our national membership across all levels of government. We collaborate with our Australia-wide network of regional representatives to present an informed and united front on the issues that affect you and your business.

What matters to our members

HIA is across the most critical issues affecting residential housing in Australia - right now and in the future. Our five-year strategic plan is about addressing all of these, head-on. Our representatives are heavily involved in committees that cover all these key areas. We are dedicated to ensuring our members’ voices are heard when it counts.

house & building

Housing matters

Supporting the Housing Accord commitment to build 1.2million homes over five years and to ensure there is fair and equitable policy and tax reform for the industry to thrive and grow.

landmark

Affordability

Increase home ownership by removing unnecessary taxes and charges on housing, simplify planning rules, and help more Australians own their own home sooner.

briefcase

Quality & compliance

Ensure home building rules are cost effective, achievable and proportional. Limit the impacts of major changes like those to NCC, WHS, building regulatory systems and sustainability reforms.

business

Let business do business

Navigate changes to rules and regulations, prohibitions on goods and services and highlight materials, labour and skilled worker shortages with a "do no harm" approach.

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What we do

It is important to approach government and industry regulators with a solid understanding of the biggest challenges we face. HIA experts work hard to develop qualitative and quantitative research and create powerful and data-driven campaigns that demonstrate why change is necessary.

Explore some of our high-profile endeavours

Modernising The NCC

The National Construction Code needs to be knocked down and rebuilt from the ground up. HIA has put together a significant suite of transformational recommendations to make compliance easier for residential building professionals.

Explore the regulatory changes we believe will help drive up housing supply and increase affordability for all Australians.

Learn more

NCC 2025

Access HIA’s extensive resource library covering Australian Standards, the latest regulatory updates, adoption dates and how to comply.

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Small Business Conditions Survey

Residential building industry small businesses are resilient but facing significant challenges. Here's how they're faring in 2026.

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HIA Planning Blueprint Scorecard

HIA's Planning Blueprint Scorecard grades the planning system of each state and outlines key areas of improvement to achieve the Accord target of 1.2 million homes.

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Housing the Regions

Australians are moving to regional centres. Here's how we can help them build more homes and strengthen their communities.

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One House, One Approval

A refreshed and simplified pathway to deliver one approval for the construction of a single house on a block of land zoned for housing.

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Taxation's major impact on housing

HIA engaged the Centre for International Economics (the CIE) to undertake a review of taxes, fees and charges on new housing and apartments.

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Missing Middle Housing Report

We must explore gentle density housing solutions including more townhouses, micro-lot houses and triplexes in existing populated areas. Review the report.

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All Hands on Deck: Construction workforce requirements report

Trade shortages loom as a major threat to the Housing Accord’s target of building 1.2 million homes over the next five years.

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Pre-fab and modular construction

HIA's final report identifies the regulatory barriers for off-site construction in housing. These barriers can be time consuming and costly, resulting in inconsistent outcomes for industry and consumers.

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Ban on engineered stone

Our expert guidance on how to understand the engineered stone ban and minimise the health risks of silicosis. Learn more about how we’ve helped the industry deal with this huge regulatory change.

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The changing voice of the construction industry

The construction industry has become more culturally and linguistically diverse. However, the industry is still lagging other industry sectors when it comes to attracting skilled migrants.

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NCC 2022 changes

We’ve been working hard for our members to minimise the outcome of NCC 2022 changes that have impacted the residential building industry. Explore the latest changes and updates to the National Construction Code.

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How it works

Your voice, heard

Our service committees consult with members in their region about their evolving challenges and opportunities from the frontlines of the industry - what's really going on, on-site and beyond.

Our priorities, aligned

Local representatives join forces at the HIA National Policy Congress and work together to reach common ground so HIA can approach government and regulators from a position of power.

Expert research and development

HIA experts collate national data from our members, conduct research, and lead investigations into the factors contributing to what needs to be addressed, strengthening our stance.

Present to government

We present formal submissions on issues including the Budget, workplace diversity, migration, sustainability, new planning and approval rules, and much more.

The ultimate goal of HIA's advocacy is to initiate meaningful change on behalf of our members. We advocate for significant government policy and regulation amendments that benefit you as part of the residential building industry.

How the National Policy Congress represents you

Our national committees communicate their region's position on building industry issues at HIA's National Policy Congress (NPC). This annual event brings the Association's industry leaders together to create better outcomes for our members and set the direction of HIA's advocacy going forward. 

We develop position (policy) statements from these robust NPC discussions that represent our members' majority outlook on Australian building regulations, home ownership, business compliance and operations, and emerging key policy issues.

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What we present to government

HIA's latest responses to government policy around the housing industry, plus the latest news and economic forecasts for the sector. We submit these consistently throughout the year, ahead of and in response to what’s happening everywhere across Australia, from the regions to the highest level of government.

Latest submissions
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06 Oct
Anambah to Branxton Draft Structure Plan

HIA supports a robust and enduring Anambah to Branxton Structure Plan, but it must be based on accurate and current evidence. It should facilitate projects capable of delivering housing in the near term rather than constrain them through potentially incorrect mapping, unsupported assumptions or inappropriate sequencing.

03 Oct
Locked Out: Fixing Tasmania's Land Supply Crisis

Tasmania is building only half the homes it needs, delivering 2,456 new homes in 2024/25 against a National Housing Accord target of 5,022, the lowest performance of any state. The challenge is not a lack of demand, buyers or building capacity. Instead, Tasmania faces a critical shortage of serviced residential land.

29 Sep
Draft North Queensland Regional Plan and Infrastructure Plan

HIA considers the Draft North Queensland Regional Plan presents an important opportunity to modernise regional planning settings and move towards a more evidence-based, best-practice regulatory framework.

22 Sep
Review of health and air monitoring requirements for hazardous chemicals

HIA responded to Safe Work Australia Consultation Paper: Review of health and air monitoring requirements for hazardous chemicals of the model Work Health and Safety laws.

Industry updates

Affordable Building developments Building approvals Construction Planning Regulations Residential Tax
HIA Victoria not failing housing targets as badly as others is not success
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) says the Victorian results in the HIA National Housing Accord Update released yesterday, while not as poor as some other states, highlight the urgent need for a reset in housing policy after ...
Oct 26
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Construction Employee conditions Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Safety Work Health and Safety (WHS)
HIA Safety Summit headlines National Safe Work Month
HIA’s annual Safety Summit is being held today in Adelaide (8 October) and will bring together industry leaders, regulators and workplace safety experts, providing practical guidance to help residential builders and tradies create...
Oct 26
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Administration Australian Tax Office (ATO) Business operations Construction Insurance Regulations Tax Wages
ATO payment change adds mounting pressure on home builders
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) is calling on the Australian Taxation Office and Federal Government to reverse the decision to cease accepting credit card payments from 30 November, warning the change needs to be viewed aga...
Oct 26
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Building developments Construction Forecast Low rise construction Medium rise construction Residential
Housing targets remain as important as ever
“Housing commencements rose in the year to June 2026, but the latest data reflects yesterday's market, not the conditions facing builders today,” stated HIA Executive Director Victoria, Keith Ryan.
Oct 26
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Building approvals Construction Environment Low rise construction Planning Residential
Tasmanians want to build but home starts remain the furthest below average in the nation
New figures show demand for new homes is returning in Tasmania, with building approvals growing faster than in any other state, yet the number of homes actually being started remains further below its ten-year average than anywher...
Oct 26
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Building developments Construction Environment Planning Residential Regulations Tax
Housing target shortfall an $11 billion black hole for states and territories
New data from the Housing Industry Association (HIA) has shone a light on the consequences of Australia falling behind on progress against the National Housing Accord, following the release of today’s ABS building activity data fo...
Oct 26
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Business operations Business plans Business structure
Could data centres be builders next inflationary hit
Australia’s growing data centre sector is creating a significant new source of construction activity and opportunities for the industry.
Oct 26
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Apprentice Building developments Construction Planning Residential Staffing
Coalition migration measures recognise housing supply depends on workforce capacity
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has welcomed the Coalition's commitment to a skills-first migration approach and the establishment of a dedicated construction visa strike team, saying the measures recognise the critical rol...
Oct 26
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Harassment Safety
New tool helps navigate sexual harassment complaint options
Knowing where to turn if sexual harassment occurs at work can be difficult. In Australia, several government agencies deal with complaints and in many circumstances a person can only pursue one complaint pathway.
Oct 26
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Awards Kitchens Livable Housing Construction
Luxury Home Wins Highest North Queensland Housing Award
G.J. Gardner Homes Cairns FNQ has won the 2026 HIA North Queensland Home of the Year for its stunning Peakviews home, showcasing outstanding design, craftsmanship and lifestyle appeal.
Oct 26
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Affordable Building developments Building approvals Construction Election Planning Residential Regulations Tax
HIA Victoria welcomes land tax proposals but urges broader action
HIA Victoria acknowledges proposals from political parties to gradually lift Victoria’s land tax threshold after the next election. Easing land tax pressures would provide some relief to homeowners, investors and the home building...
Oct 26
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Construction Contractors Compliance Registration Residential
Changes to NT building practitioner registrations now in effect
The NT Government has announced changes to registration requirements for various building practitioner categories, which will apply to registration and renewal applications received from 1 October 2026.
Oct 26
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