A message from the MD

Author

Samantha Thompson
Managing Director

29 May 2024

The beginning of 2024 has flown by, and the second half of the year is already upon us.

With an eye toward the upcoming election in 2025, we find ourselves grappling with unprecedented challenges related to the cost of living, and a housing crisis of a scale not witnessed in many years.

Amidst these challenges, we are experiencing robust economic conditions, record employment levels, and a growing population. These positive trends have not gone unnoticed globally. In June 2023, Perth was ranked 12th in the Economist Intelligence Unit's global liveability rankings, thanks to enhancements in various aspects of the city’s liveability. This recognition has positioned Perth as one of the most sought-after cities worldwide. Perth remains more affordable than Melbourne and Sydney, which are ranked third and fourth respectively, enhancing its appeal as a top destination to live, work, and visit.

This livability appeal, combined with the State Government's 2024-25 budget, which highlighted substantial surpluses pivotal in financing its unprecedented investment in infrastructure, presents an opportune moment to tackle the pressing challenges at hand.

This is perhaps why industry bodies are engaging the combined expertise of the development sector to identify and propose strategies to assist the government in addressing these issues.

Taylor Burrell Barnett's industry advocacy remains a top priority for us. Our committee representatives sit across UDIA, Property Council, and Planning Institute of Australia. And we have a dedicated internal ThinkTank Leadership Team to drive this advocacy and thought-leadership. For example, this month, our ThinkTank coordinated an internal ‘world café’ workshop to brainstorm ideas and opportunities to present to Treasury’s Housing Supply Unit. The outcomes centred around four themes:

1. Advocating for enhanced development assessment and decision-making processes,
2. Championing the delivery of good quality, affordable and innovative housing in infill areas,
3. Feasibility and affordability of housing; and
4. Demonstration housing and strategic partnerships.

We look forward to exploring the details of these concepts for the Housing Supply Unit and Industry groups.

As we navigate these challenging times and strive to address the pressing issues surrounding the cost of living and housing crisis, we must continue to work together, share insights and pave the way for a more resilient and inclusive community.

Together, we can make a meaningful difference and shape a better tomorrow for generations to come.

It will undoubtedly be interesting to see how our key parties position this issue as the election approaches.

Until next time,

Samantha