Nationally, the growing demand from the infrastructure sector is pushing up costs of personnel, plant and equipment, and base materials such as aggregates, cement and steel. As resources become more stretched, these pressures create an industry wide challenge.

The Victorian Law Reform Commission has released this consultation paper as part of its examination of the current operation of the relevant laws and processes in Victoria governing neighbourhood tree disputes.

A shift to a property tax will make the housing market fairer and more efficient, and researchers have come up with a practical way to do it, writes Peter Mares.

Reforming property taxes can help deliver a more sustainable housing system with economic and social dividends. This research proposes a nationally coordinated incremental strategy with short, medium and long-term objectives.

This discussion paper endeavors to identify the underlying causes of housing affordability issues, and to consider some useful policy responses in the current and historical context.