National housing supply council chair announced

Tanya Plibersek, today announced the appointment of Dr Owen Donald as the inaugural Chair of the National Housing Supply Council.

The work of the National Housing Supply Council will enable the Government to assess current and future demand for housing across Australia, helping to improve housing affordability for working families.

The Council will publish an annual State of Supply report to analyse the adequacy of construction rates and land supply across Australia for the next 20 years.

“I am extremely pleased that Dr Donald has agreed to take on an important new role as Chair of the National Housing Supply Council,” Ms Plibersek said.

“Dr Donald is recognised as an expert in housing policy and research, social housing management and housing supply planning, and played a key role in the review of the Victorian Government’s approach to affordable housing.

“Another eight members will join Dr Donald on the new Council in the near future.”

The State of Supply report will coordinate local, state and national supply and demand information and adopt a consistent, national standard for measuring and assessing the supply of land and housing.

It will examine issues like demographic change, the impact of migration, market distortions, construction and availability of housing, structural barriers to the release of land and zoning approval, and the construction of new housing.

The Council will also contribute to the Government’s new approach to the sale of surplus Commonwealth land.

The remaining Council members will come from the housing, property, building, academic, finance and not-for-profit housing sectors.

Council members from these sectors would be well placed to provide an impartial advisory role to Government on Australia’s future housing supply.