The Property Council in Victoria has called for significant actions to be taken by the Victorian Government as part its 2011-12 Pre-Budget Submission. Based on in-depth, evidence-based research, the Property Council has formed a number of key recommendations around housing affordability, accommodating population growth and the liveability of Victoria’s cities.
The Property Council’s report Delivering on Melbourne’s Population Plan shows that Melbourne has the capacity to deliver a sustainable, liveable city with enough dwellings to cater for increased population growth.
Victorian Executive Director of the Property Council, Jennifer Cunich, commented that, “one of the biggest hindrances to accommodating population growth in Victoria, is the incredible inconsistency in methods used by councils to set housing targets.
This in turn, has led to a trend of over performance and under performance by local governments, resulting in the absence of any clear means by which Melbourne will ever reach the targets it needs to reach.”
“We are facing a severe crisis in Melbourne, a housing affordability crisis that must be relieved as a matter of priority. Melbourne is not building enough dwellings to meet current population growth and this must change,” said Ms Cunich.
“These poor affordability outcomes are likely to deteriorate further with stronger housing demand brought on by population growth. The Victorian Government must address the need for density and more affordable dwellings coupled with lower development costs to alleviate this pressure” said Ms Cunich.
The Property Council has called for the Victorian Government to acknowledge and identify key strategic goals in order to address the implications population growth is and will continue to have on Victoria’s infrastructure.
“Like many, the Property Council is fundamentally concerned with protecting the advantage that Melbourne enjoys over other Australian cities with respect to housing affordability but, we have noted rapid escalation in land and housing prices in the growth areas which has resulted in the erosion of housing affordability in that sector of the market, “ said Ms Cunich.
The Property Council applauds the Victorian Government for its initiatives such as Fishermans Bend which will go some way to meeting the population and housing affordability challenges in Victoria. However the Victorian Government must ensure its initiatives are also wide reaching and have a positive impact across all of Victoria.
“Growth is important for Melbourne’s future prosperity but it must be managed effectively. Growth means more employment opportunities, more revenue to provide much needed community infrastructure, and more choices for all Victorians,” said Ms Cunich.
The Property Council has presented its 2011-12 Pre-Budget Submission to the Victorian Government.
-ENDS-
Jennifer Cunich, Executive Director – (03) 9650 8300
Danni Addison, Public Affairs Manager – (03) 9664 4230 or 0408 861 408
