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.
If you are having problems logging in, please call HIA helpdesk on 1300 650 620 during business hours.
Enables quick and easy registration for future events or learning and grants access to expert advice and valuable resources.
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.
With the Victorian State Budget next week there is also a risk that further tax increases will entrench this poor outcome.
HIA Executive Director, Victoria, Keith Ryan said “The Housing Scorecard result can only be described as an indictment of the Victorian government’s approach to business and home building. The size of the Victorian economy and the growing population should be fuelling a much stronger home building industry.
“Little more than half a decade ago, Victoria was a leader in the Housing Scorecard. Now Victoria is well behind today’s leaders. With government policies seemingly focused on punishing business activity and excessively taxing housing this is unlikely to improve in the foreseeable future.”
The HIA Housing Scorecard report presents analysis which ranks each of the eight states and territories based on the performance of 13 key residential building indicators against their decade average, covering detached and multi-unit building activity, renovations, housing finance and rates of overseas and interstate migration.
The number of detached homes being currently built in Victoria remains higher than other states but with weak volumes of new work entering the pipeline, the volume of work under construction has continued to shrink. The multi-unit sector also remains insipid with an “Anywhere but Victoria” mentality discouraging investment decisions for that sector.
Mr Ryan noted that “Melbourne is almost the largest city in Australia, with one of the fastest rates of population growth in the country. Our regional cities are expanding at a healthy rate as well. Victoria is widely perceived as an attractive place to live.
“In recent years the home building industry in Victoria has been hit with new and increased taxes. These include the new windfall gains tax, an expansion of the vacant residential land tax, increases in land tax and stamp duty, along with increases in payroll tax and Workcover premiums.
“If the government is serious about addressing the budgetary position, there is one simple solution; which is to tax less. This will result in more homes being built.
“Despite industry hopes, it is unlikely that this year’s state budget will include any positive tax reforms. This will be a disappointing but not surprising outcome that can only be mitigated by the government using the one positive policy tool it has left – pausing unnecessary regulatory changes” concluded Mr Ryan.
This year’s predictable ‘election focused’ State Budget has missed the opportunity to improve the environment for home building. It contains few positive measures to increase housing supply, address housing affordability and lower the costs facing new home builders.
“The Housing Industry Association (HIA) says the Northern Territory’s 2026–27 Budget maintains key housing incentives but falls short of the investment needed to significantly lift housing supply and address skills shortages in the construction sector,” said Luis Espinoza, HIA Executive Director, Northern Territory.
The Queensland Government has confirmed while the National Construction Code (NCC) 2025 has been formally adopted, its commencement in Queensland has been deferred until 1 May 2027.
“The 2026/27 Budget handed down by the Victorian government today once again does not deliver meaningful tax reforms that will increase housing supply, address housing affordability and lower the costs facing home builders,” says HIA Victoria Executive Director, Keith Ryan.