Housing industry insights
Advocacy & policy
News & inspiration
Support & guidance
Member perks
Industry insurance
For your business
Apprentices
Building it right
Building materials & products
Managing your business
Managing your safety
Building your business
Other subjects
A rewarding career
Study with us
A job in the industry
Grow with us
Our podcasts
Our initiatives
Get involved
Awards
Awards winners
Industry events
Most popular products
Top categories
For your business
{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.text}} {{region}} Change location{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change location {{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.text}} {{region}} Change location{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change locationGoulburn Mulwaree Council must stop gouging new home buyers
Goulburn Mulwaree Council must stop gouging new home buyers
Member and guest login
Enter your email and password to access secured content, members only resources and discount prices.
Did you become a member online? If not, you will need to activate your account to login.
If you are having problems logging in, please call HIA helpdesk on 1300 650 620 during business hours.
Forgotten password
Need some help?
If you are having problems logging in, please call HIA helpdesk on 1300 650 620 during business hours.
If the email address you have entered is registered, you will receive an email with further instructions.
Become part of the HIA community
Enables quick and easy registration for future events or learning and grants access to expert advice and valuable resources.
Create a guest account
Enter your details below and create a login
Send me exclusive tips, early access to new launches, and special offers. I can change my mind at any time.
By clicking Get started now you agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy.
“Development application fees are based on the estimated development cost (EDC), so there is an incentive for councils to inflate the estimated cost of building a new home. The higher the EDC the higher the DA fee collected by council.
“Goulburn Mulwaree Council is regularly imposing an estimated cost that is hundreds of thousands of dollars above signed building contract price. This increased EDC is based on irrelevant and inappropriate claims such as allowances for promotional discounts and unrealistic driveway and landscaping costs.
“If this was any commercial business they would be forced to stop overcharging consumers and required to issue refunds. The same should apply to councils,” added Mr Armitage.
“The Council has the sole authority to determine the EDC, and you have no real choice but to accept their decision. It means councils are raking in thousands of dollars more in fees and other charges they are not entitled to.
“Issues like this are not only adding to the cost of housing but also causing projects to be delayed by weeks as outlined in HIA's Getting Keys in Doors report.
“We have councils across the state using first home buyers and families building a home as an ATM. Council’s shouldn’t need to be told that is simply not fair, they should be better than this,” concluded Mr Armitage.
For more information please contact:
New rules add thousands to the cost of a new home as Tasmania falls years behind on housing
From today, every new home built in Tasmania must meet the full Livable Housing Design requirements. The Housing Industry Association says this adds thousands of dollars to the cost of building a home, at a time when Tasmanians can least afford it.
Rules for managing the risk of falls have changed - are you up to date?
Changes to Western Australia's requirements for managing the risks of falls will commence on 1 October 2026, introducing new expectations for builders, contractors and workers undertaking tasks where there is a risk of falling.
Livable Housing Design: final stage now in force
As of today, 1 October 2026, all new building work in Tasmania, unless exempt, must comply with all requirements of Part H8 Livable Housing Design of NCC Volume Two.
ACT housing approvals slump puts 2030 target under pressure
“The ACT’s housing supply pipeline is weakening, with building approvals in the three months to August halving compared with a year earlier,” said HIA Executive Director ACT and Southern NSW, Geordan Murray.