Australia’s Housing Industry Association (HIA) isn’t taking the country’s recent recovery as a good sign of things to come. HIA analysts say the recovery will be short-lived because the Australian government is not committed to housing reform at the state and federal level. The HIA’s concerns are centered on addressing the increasing difficulties of affordability and support of the construction sector as the country’s population continues to grow. For now, however, housing starts are up on the year and the outcome of next year’s forecast remains to be seen. For more on this continue reading the following article from Property Wire.
A recovery in the new homes market in Australia looks unsustainable because there is not enough focus on housing reform at governmental level, it is claimed.
According to the Housing Industry Association, the voice of Australia’s residential building industry, the new home building recovery is at risk of running out of steam.
In the latest edition of its National Outlook report, it says that a strengthening in the new home building markets of New South Wales and Western Australia has driven a promising first round recovery in national housing starts.
Claim up to $26,000 per W2 Employee
- Billions of dollars in funding available
- Funds are available to U.S. Businesses NOW
- This is not a loan. These tax credits do not need to be repaid
But that does not mean that the trend will continue. ‘Ensuring the recovery is sustainable is the key, but that looks unlikely based on current policy settings. There is not enough policy focus on housing reform at a state as well as federal government level,’ said HIA chief economist Harley Dale.
‘Consequently, a first round new home building recovery looks set to be stopped in its tracks. Such an outcome would be detrimental to an improvement in housing affordability, a faster pace of economic growth, and a lift in the nation’s productivity performance,’ he added.
The HIA estimates that housing starts increased by 8.3% last financial year to a level of 157,108, following two consecutive years of decline. A fall of 4.2% is forecast for 2013/2014 as growth in New South Wales and Western Australia temporarily runs out of steam before a geographically broader based recovery takes sufficient hold.
The HIA estimates that total investment in renovations fell by 6.6% in 2012/2013 to reach a decade low. Growth of 3.5% is forecast for this financial year, which would take investment to a level of $28.9 billion. This would be $1.8 billion short of the record achieved in 2010/2011.
In May this year the HIA launched its Federal Election 2013 policy platform to provide a blueprint for a future federal government to address the growing housing affordability challenge facing Australia and to ensure a sustainable residential construction recovery commensurate with the needs of the Australian economy and its growing population.
This article was republished with permission from Property Wire.
