Housing receives welcome attention at Treasurer’s roundtable
PUCV Chair Cr Moira Berry says government reforms that help to build homes more quickly and efficiently are welcome.
Peri Urban Councils Victoria (PUCV) says the need to build more homes more quickly received much-needed attention at Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ Economic Reform Roundtable this week.
PUCV Chair Cr Moira Berry said measures identified at the roundtable to accelerate the supply of new homes - including reducing red tape, clearing the backlog of approvals and expanding opportunities for modular and pre-fabricated homes - would help meet high demand from home buyers.
“Our peri urban municipalities need more than 72,000 houses to accommodate more than 162,000 new residents in the next 15 years,” Cr Berry said.
“Government reforms that can help to get these homes built more quickly and efficiently are welcome. While those homes are being constructed, we also need to ensure our peri urban communities remain connected and liveable,” Cr Berry said.
“We are ready to deliver on ambitious housing targets, but we can only do this if the infrastructure is in place when it’s needed, not years later when the need is acute and costs have escalated,” Cr Berry said.
PUCV has proposed a $230 million fund - the Capital Investment Fund - that would support sustainable growth and fund community infrastructure to ensure rapidly growing communities were liveable and attractive.
Cr Berry said the fund would provide government money for community, liveability and amenity projects beyond traditional infrastructure.
“This fund will deliver timely, growth-enabling infrastructure, reduce bottlenecks and help regional Victoria and the nation take big strides towards sustainable productivity,” Cr Berry said.
“Peri urban municipalities want to be part of the solution to the housing crisis and to help ‘ease the squeeze’ in the city,” Cr Berry said.
“To do this, we need timely and ongoing Federal Government funding for essential infrastructure for new housing developments so construction is not delayed and for the public facilities and services that new residents and growing communities need and expect,” Cr Berry said.
“The Capital Investment Fund is not just about providing money for infrastructure. It’s about creating the conditions for lasting economic growth and building stronger communities that can continue to grow sustainably and prosper,” Cr Berry said.
Cr Berry said she looked forward to travelling to Canberra soon to continue discussions about the fund and government reforms to accelerate housing construction.
Earlier this year, a PUCV delegation met with Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Kristy McBain and Housing Minister Clare O’Neil.
The discussions centred around ways to ease housing bottlenecks with a focus on funding for critical infrastructure, including roads, water, power and telecommunications, and liveability infrastructure such as transport links, open spaces and recreation facilities.