The upcoming Australian Government's Economic Reform Roundtable is a significant opportunity to address the barriers holding back the building and construction industry, and with it, Australia’s housing supply. The industry is constrained by outdated systems, inconsistent regulation and severe skill shortages. This paper outlines the reforms the industry believes are essential.

This interim report proposes a reform program to improve productivity across the Queensland construction industry. It finds that productivity in the industry had fallen 9% since 2018. It makes 21 recommendations and identifies 12 directions for reform, focused on four key areas: government procurement, land use and building activity regulation, and labour market operation.

Regulatory constraints suppress housing supply. This paper examines the relative extent of rising dwelling prices. While housing inflation is found to affect all states and Australian capital cities, it is found to be worst in New South Wales. It presents 6 recommendations for significant reform.

The threat to housing in Australia from hazards such as bushfires, floods and cyclones is increasing, with replacement costs escalating. This report explores the housing policies that can improve community preparedness and responses to disasters. It presents several opportunities for policy development and practice change. Build back better approaches need to become the norm in...

The building industry has been the subject of negative commentary for some time. With the establishment of a new Building and Plumbing Commission, this independently commissioned report examines seven of the Victorian Building Authority's most complex and challenging consumer cases, some of which span more than 10 years.