Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to direct the Productivity Commission to examine the regulatory systems impacting housing supply across Australia.
Recent Oxford Economics Australia analysis found the cement, concrete and aggregates industry contributes $20.7 billion to GDP and supports 112,970 jobs nationally. The industry also enables Australia’s $175 billion construction sector and supports delivery of the nation’s $242 billion public infrastructure pipeline.
CCAA Chief Executive Officer Michael Kilgariff said the inquiry is an important opportunity to address the planning, approvals and infrastructure bottlenecks that continue to constrain housing delivery, increase costs and reduce construction productivity.
“Australia cannot meet its housing targets without faster, more coordinated and more efficient regulatory systems,” Mr Kilgariff said.
“The current complexity across planning, environmental and development approval processes is slowing the delivery of new housing and the infrastructure needed to support growing communities.”
CCAA said the inquiry’s focus on approval processes, land availability and infrastructure delivery reflects many of the long-standing barriers identified by industry.
“Timely housing delivery depends on secure access to essential construction materials, efficient freight networks and planning systems that properly recognise the importance of quarry resources and concrete batching infrastructure,” Mr Kilgariff said.
“Without better coordination across jurisdictions, streamlined approval pathways and improved infrastructure planning, Australia risks increasing costs, delaying projects and placing further pressure on housing supply.”
CCAA said regulatory reform should focus on reducing duplication, improving consistency across jurisdictions and supporting performance-based approaches that maintain important environmental and safety outcomes while improving productivity.
“There is significant scope to improve housing supply outcomes through clearer, more predictable and nationally consistent regulatory frameworks,” Mr Kilgariff said.
“This inquiry provides an important opportunity to identify practical reforms that support faster approvals, improve investment certainty and help deliver more homes where Australians need them.”