The UDIA has conveyed to the federal
and state governments, that as the
supply of housing has been restricted,
it has put an upward pressure on
prices of the available housing stock in
the country. There is a need to address
the basic issues which have resulted in
the inadequate number of new housing
projects. These have been identified
by UDIA as high and inefficient taxes
and charges on new housing, low
investment in urban infrastructure,
and excessive regulations and red
tape.
Apart from these three issues, the
Institute takes up a number of other
causes which are of the greatest
importance for the development
of Australia’s urban infrastructure.
Referring to the role played by UDIA,
Stephen Albin says, “We are not
lobbyists, we are actually about making
sure that government is implementing
sensiblepublicpolicyand it isbecoming
more and more important because
there is a large volume of legislation
and policies that are being enacted by
government and the industry needs
someone to play this role”.
Additionally, oneof themost important
roles played by UDIA is to enable its
members to exchange information
amongst themselves. It does this by
organising a number of events where
members from diverse backgrounds,
but having a common interest in the
development of urban infrastructure,
come together to exchange ideas and
network. Such interactions can lead
to great synergies and work towards
boosting the pace of the country’s
urban development.
The 2014-15 State of Australian
Cities Report points out that 75% of
the country’s population lives in its
20 largest cities. Cities account for
the majority of jobs and a large part
of the country’s economic output.
Unless adequate focus is maintained
on developing urban infrastructure,
it will not be possible for Australia to
keep up its rate of economic growth
and increase the prosperity and well-
being of its people.
Australia’s cities enjoy awell-deserved
reputation for being amongst the
finest in the world and providing
their residents amenities that are
unmatched even in many of the most
developed countries. However, with the
rapidgrowthof thecountry’spopulation
there is a chance that Australia’s cities
could see a deterioration in their
infrastructure. UDIA has been playing
a significant role in ensuring that urban
infrastructure grows to meet the needs
of the expanding population.
PERTY DEVELOPMENT