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“The number of apartments starting construction in NSW has fallen back to levels last seen in 2012, when the population of NSW was 1 million people fewer and migration was just one third the volume of 2023," added Mr Reardon.
The ABS this week released its building activity data for the December Quarter 2023. This data provides estimates of the value of building work and number of dwellings commenced, completed and under construction across Australia and its states and territories.
“The more governments tax homes, the fewer homes will be built and the faster rents will increase.
“The Australian government has stated a goal of building 1.2 million new homes. This ambitious target requires all states and territories to work toward this common goal.
“Making homes more expensive is not an effective policy response to achieve a slowing in migration to NSW.
“It will however lead to a more inequitable housing market with renters bearing the highest burden.
“There were only 23,653 multi-units that commenced construction in New South Wales in 2023, following just 21,652 in 2022. These were the two weakest years of apartment commencements since 2012.
“The last two years of multi-units activity in NSW are less than half the 47,757 multi-units the state commenced in 2016.
"NSW introduced additional stamp duty and land tax surcharges on foreign investors from 2017. These taxes are in addition to those taxes, fees and charges imposed on foreign investors by the Australian Government.
“The result was an exodus of foreign investors and a dramatic decline in higher density home building. A similar outcome can be observed across the country, especially in the capital cities, where similar taxes have been imposed.
“Foreign investors are a crucial component to building new housing in Australia, especially the higher density living that is particularly important in periods of rapid migration.
“Foreign investors don’t live in these homes, and they cannot take them overseas and they are penalised if these homes are left vacant.
“The rapid population growth in NSW will not be slowed by increasing the taxes on home building.
“Australian based institutional investors, who received a tax concession in the 2023 Federal Budget to invest in residential housing, are not filling the gap left by the withdrawal of overseas investors.
“At a time of record population growth and acute shortages of housing, NSW needs more of all types of homes with the support of investment from first home buyers, owner occupiers, government housing, domestic and foreign investors,” concluded Mr Reardon.
HIA Stamp Duty Watch Report
With the delay to decisions on the content of NCC 2025, the ABCB has published a further amendment to the current NCC 2022 which applies from 29 July 2025. The purpose of this minor amendment is to align the NCC with recent changes to the Premises Standards which apply to Class 3 to 9 public buildings, common areas of Class 2 apartment buildings and short-term accommodation
“HIA alongside a group of construction leaders and Standards Australia came together today at Parliament House, to present a united front in getting easier access to Australian Standards in the hands of those who need them most,” said HIA Managing Director, Jocelyn Martin.
HIA has made a comprehensive suite of submissions to the Productivity Commission ahead of the upcoming Treasurer’s Economic Reform Roundtable on 19-21 August.
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) is calling on Treasurer Jim Chalmers to put housing at the centre of the upcoming Economic Reform Roundtable.