O’Neil said having 4600 homes approved was a step towards the government meeting its broader goal of 1.2 million homes.
“It’s simply too hard to build a house in Australia today. There are endless layers of bureaucracy across three levels of government to wade through before builders can lay a brick,” she said.
“The Commonwealth can’t fix this problem alone, but it’s not going to get fixed without use. These numbers show that we’ve made a meaningful start with a lot more to come.”
The government is already well behind on its 1.2 million home target as recent approvals data suggest it will fall up to 200,000 properties short. Over the past 12 months, almost 190,000 homes have been approved for construction – well short of the 240,000 a year needed for the government to hit its goal.
There has been a lift in approvals affected by environmental laws but there are still at least 22,000 to work through.
Watt said those approvals should be worked through quickly as developers who completed all required paperwork and supporting documentation were being prioritised.
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“Fast-tracked projects still have to meet all environmental requirements, but by focusing our resources and sharpening our processes, we are getting the nation’s housing pipeline moving,” he said.
The Coalition says the government is still failing to meet its promises to voters.
Opposition housing spokesman Andrew Bragg said despite $60 billion in additional funding, the shortfall in approvals meant the plan to build 1.2 million homes by mid-2029 had gone from a “promise to a nightmare”.
