Wednesday, 17 June 2026

 Juliana ADDISON (Wendouree) (10:54): It is with great pleasure I speak on the Legislative Assembly Environment and Planning Committee’s inquiry into the supply of homes in regional Victoria and the government’s response. On 19 November 2025 the EPC tabled our report in this place, delivering 12 findings and 34 recommendations aimed at increasing the supply and diversity of housing across regional Victorian communities. This was an important inquiry to me as a regional Victorian. I know firsthand how great it is to live in regional Victoria, as do a number of the committee members who are on there, including the very, very amazing member for Bass, the member for Ripon, the member for Morwell and the member for Narracan. We also have the member for Croydon and the member for Monbulk – people who really have strong connections with regional Victoria.

We know that regional Victoria is vibrant, we know that regional Victoria is full of opportunity, but housing supply is simply not keeping pace with the momentum.

Before I turn to the substance of the government’s response, I would like to acknowledge and thank those who have contributed, particularly those amazing members from across the aisle but particularly the member for Morwell, the most amazing deputy chair anyone could ask for. Thank you particularly to the members for Bass and Croydon, for whom this was their last time on a committee, as they are both retiring at the end of this parliamentary term. It was so special to get to spend time with them. Committee work is fantastic, and getting to know and work closely with good people like the members for Narracan, Croydon, Monbulk, Bass and Ripon was an absolute gift, as the member for Cranbourne would say. Once again I want to acknowledge the committee secretariat, particularly Marianna Stylianou, who is in the chamber as we speak, for her leadership, and the whole team for their professionalism, diligence and expertise, which were integral to the success of our inquiry. Your work behind the scenes ensured that the committee could deliver a thorough and meaningful report for the Parliament, a report that I am incredibly proud of.

As we travelled across the state, from Bairnsdale to Horsham, visiting Colac and Ballarat and Warrnambool and Morwell and Stawell and Castlemaine, as well as having people Zoom in from the Mallee and the Murray, we heard that the population growth in regional Victoria is outpacing housing supply, placing increased pressure on rental markets as well as home ownership. We heard that the most vulnerable in our communities are disproportionately affected by housing shortages: people on low incomes, older Victorians, young families and those experiencing family violence. We heard that demand is shifting, with more single-person households and ageing populations, yet there is a shortage in smaller, accessible homes near services and transport. We also heard that Aboriginal Victorians face additional barriers to accessing secure and culturally appropriate housing. Ultimately we heard that without action, people are being forced to leave their communities simply because the right housing options are not available.

We made 34 recommendations that focused on increasing supply and diversity, ensuring sustained investment, strengthening regional planning, delivering the infrastructure needed to grow and support housing and improved collaborations between governments, industries and communities. I want to thank the Victorian government for their response, tabled last sitting week, and I want to talk about their responses. I am going to have to talk again in the future because I am not going to get through all of them. The government response acknowledges the core finding of the committee, that housing supply in regional Victoria is not keeping pace, and recognises the urgency of the challenge. I was pleased the government has broadly supported the intent of the committee’s recommendations with a mix of accepted, supported-in-principle and under-consideration actions. The response outlines a coordinated, long-term strategy building on existing planning reforms, infrastructure investment and housing programs. There are several aspects of the government’s response that I would like to look at and talk about, including planning and land supply, infrastructure, boosting housing supply and diversity, workforce capacity, social and affordable housing, collaboration and regional growth. Importantly, the Allan Labor government acknowledges the ongoing challenges of limited serviced land, high construction costs, infrastructure gaps, planning delays and viability. We know every Victorian deserves a home, and that is what we want.