measure to manage Quality data collection is needed to ensure we have well-planned and resourced cities with sucient housing supply for our growing population. The maxim ‘if it can’t be Council to ensure that all states have reliable data measured it can’t be about the land and housing supply pipeline. The managed’ applies to the data would be used to coordinate the efforts of recent debate about desirable federal, state and local governments in delivering levels of population growth. the infrastructure to support new residential The issue was put firmly on the development in greenfields and in-fill locations in a agenda for the next federal election by way that better aligns the supply of new housing in the Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure the areas of demand. and Population, Alan Tudge, in his October We applaud the federal government’s speech titled The congestion challenge: more re-engagement in the issues around population infrastructure and stronger population planning to growth. The adoption and funding of the proposed get bettercities. The speech highlights congestion Council would send a strong message to all Pino Monaco as the major concern for a population policy, levels of government and the industry that it was HIA National but unfortunately hides the crucial importance of committed to the task. The Council would need President housing delivery in the population debate. Unless to involve all levels of government and the industry our growing population has somewhere to live to deliver the required results and would provide at an affordable cost, congestion will not be their a forum for the development of initiatives to better highest priority; even though it may be a priority formanage population pressures. those fortunate enough to already be secure in the housing market. HIA has always supported a strong skills The Minister was right in highlighting the need based migration program for this reason for better planning in the title of his speech. Well-planned and resourced cities are essential and also because of the contribution that components in the complex process of delivering skilled migrants bring to the country housing, employment and essential services for a growing population. This has not been one of Australia’s strengths. Many previous federal The Minister’s speech also highlighted the governments have left these issues to the state and valuable contribution that population growth, local governments to manage. The result has been especially via migration, makes to the Australian some of the most expensive residential land in the economy. HIA has always supported a strong skills world being here in Australia. based migration program for this reason and also A crucial missing step in the planning of new because of the contribution that skilled migrants housing supply for our growing population has bring to the country. At a time when both our been the availability of quality, timely and consistentpopulation overall and building industry workers data on the housing delivery pipeline. With in particular are ageing, a youthful, skilled migrant approvals for new land developments taking many inflow is especially valuable. years in most Australian cities and involving multiple To bring all of these issues around population infrastructure and other agencies in the process, together, HIA has been promoting, for many years, quality information could dramatically improve the the need for a federal housing minister. The time is delivery of more affordable new housing. right for the government to seize on this idea and at To this end HIA has been actively promoting the very least to add ‘Housing’ to Minister Tudge’s the need for a Federal Housing Coordination title and responsibilities. NOVEMBER 2018 HOUSING 7 PRESIDENT’S REPORT