Regions Need Housing Focus

With almost ten million Australians now living outside capital cities, it’s imperative that a national housing plan be created for regional Australia, according to the Housing Industry Association (HIA).

HIA Chief Executive Industry Policy, Simon Croft, says the “one size fits all” approach to housing policy is failing the regions.

He says regions are experiencing strong population growth but continue to face chronic housing shortages, rising rents and limited housing choice for workers, families and young Australians.

“Regional communities are doing the heavy lifting when it comes to population growth, yet housing policy remains overwhelmingly metropolitan-focused,” he says.

Croft says a dedicated, long-term national housing plan that explicitly recognises the distinct pressures faced by regional, rural and remote communities is needed.

 “Housing must be treated as critical economic and social infrastructure, especially in regions expected to absorb future population and workforce growth,” he says.

 “The housing crisis is not confined to cities – it is even more pronounced in the regions. It demands a coordinated national response that finally puts regional Australia at the centre of housing policy, not as an afterthought.”