HIA ACT and Southern NSW Executive Director Geordan Murray said the planned release of land to support close to 26,000 homes over five years provides important direction for industry, but warned that longstanding barriers risk slowing delivery.

“A clear pipeline of land is essential and today’s announcement provides greater certainty for the residential building industry,” Mr Murray said.

“But land release announcements must translate into shovel-ready land much faster if the Government is to meet its target of 30,000 new homes by 2030.”

HIA said its 2026–27 Pre-Budget Submission highlighted that land supply alone is not enough to boost housing affordability or increase construction without action to address viability and delivery constraints.

“The industry continues to face elevated construction costs, workforce shortages, planning delays and increasing regulatory complexity,” Mr Murray said.

“These factors all impact whether a project proceeds, and ultimately whether a home gets built.”

HIA reiterated its call for meaningful planning reform, including faster approvals, clearer processes and reduced duplication, warning that delays in the system are a key barrier to getting homes to market.

“Speeding up planning approvals and cutting red tape is critical to turning land supply into housing supply,” he said.

“While funding for planning reform is welcome, industry needs to see measurable improvements in approval timeframes and greater certainty.”

The industry body also pointed to the importance of aligning infrastructure delivery with land release, particularly in growing areas such as Molonglo.

“Land cannot become housing without timely infrastructure,” Mr Murray said.

“Better coordination is needed to ensure land is development-ready when it is released, not years later.”

HIA cautioned that rising government-imposed costs, including taxes, charges and regulatory requirements, continue to weigh heavily on housing affordability in the ACT.

“Government taxes and charges make up a significant share of the cost of a new home, and without reform, they will continue to put upward pressure on prices.

“If projects aren’t viable, they won’t proceed—regardless of how much land is released.”

Mr Murray said the Government’s focus on infill and urban renewal must also be supported by policies that recognise the higher cost and complexity of these developments.

“Infill housing plays an important role, but it is typically more complex and expensive to deliver than greenfield development,” he said.

“Planning and policy settings need to reflect this reality to ensure these projects proceed.”

HIA also emphasised the need for targeted action to address workforce constraints, another key priority identified in its Pre-Budget submission.

“A skilled and available workforce is critical to delivering more homes. Supporting apprenticeships and improving access to skilled labour will be essential to meeting housing targets.”

Mr Murray said the Government’s ambition to boost housing supply is supported by industry, but success will depend on addressing the full suite of barriers.

“HIA supports a strong and consistent land release program, but the focus now must be on delivery,” he said.

“With the right mix of planning reform, cost relief, infrastructure coordination and workforce support, we can turn these commitments into real homes for Canberrans.”

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