The Victorian Government has listened to the evidence: restrictive planning rules meaningfully reduce housing supply and affordability. A system that takes more than 300 days to approve just a handful of dwellings is a system that is failing.
As of today, this is no longer the case: Victoria’s Planning and Environment Act now provides the legislated foundations for a streamlined system that says “yes” by default.
YIMBY Melbourne congratulates the Victorian Government, its ministers, and the rank and file policy folks on their work to date. We look forward to offering input on the details of regulatory instruments over the coming years.
The YIMBY movement has been cross-partisan from day one—bringing together people from all parts of the political spectrum to unite around a vision of Melbourne with more homes where people want to live.
This crosspartisanship today, as the Labor, Greens, Libertarian, Animal Justice members came together to pass a landmark pro-housing bill that will benefit Victorians for generations to come.
YIMBY Melbourne’s membership also comprises members of key parties who did not celebrate the passage of this Bill. We hope to continue our engagement with these parties to develop pro-housing visions that support a bigger, more vibrant Victoria.
Streamlining the planning process reduces the costs of financing and overheads on new housing projects. These reforms go beyond timelines: they save actual money for actual Victorians.
Yet-to-be-released YIMBY Melbourne analysis models that these reforms will shave off thousands of dollars from the cost of delivering townhouses across Victoria.
By removing the uncertainty that plagues the current system, industry will be able to deliver more diverse housing choices like townhouses more cheaply, efficiently, and in greater volume.
“We are thrilled to see this Bill pass. This is not only a victory for YIMBYs, but also for the evidence, and for Victorians everywhere who want to see more homes built so that their friends, families, and communities can thrive in Australia’s greatest state.”
“This represents a change in the culture of planning. For too long, planning has been a weapon used to stop homes being built, rather than ensuring they get delivered. In Victoria, the legacy planning mindset is now just that: a legacy.”