Wednesday, 29 October 2025

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:16): (1096) My question is to the minister for housing. Minister, time series data from the Master Builders Association shows that in 2012–13 the average duration of an apartment from approval to completion was 21.54 months, and this has increased to 28.56 months in 2024–25. Why has the Allan Labor government dropped the ball on the construction duration of new apartments with a seven-month, or 32 per cent, increase – that is two and a quarter years after approval – in time to go from approval to completion of the apartment?

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:17): Thank you, Mr Davis. I just want to say, perhaps for the sake of triage and clarity, that this is actually a question which spans a number of portfolios. It might be easier if I address this under the remit of the building portfolio, because that also intersects with planning. But what I would say to you, Mr Davis, is that there are a number of levers that have been activated in accordance with the housing statement and the planning reforms announced by and being implemented by the planning minister Sonya Kilkenny. What I also want to be really clear about, Mr Davis, is that the work that we are doing is in stark contrast to what happened under previous governments. We are building more homes more quickly and in more typologies than other jurisdictions, Mr Davis, and that is not happening by accident. It is also something which intersects with a range of other areas within government. That includes addressing workforce and material shortages, and this also includes the sorts of incentives that we have to make sure that the viability of developments, Mr Davis, is something which stacks up to ensure that confidence in developer interest, markets, appetites and decision-making can realise those investments more quickly.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, the question was very specifically about the period after approval to completion time. It was not about earlier, it was about this period from approval to completion, and that has gone up 32 per cent. The minister has not addressed that at all.

The PRESIDENT: You are debating your point of order. I will call the minister back to the question.

Harriet SHING: Thank you very much, Mr Davis. It is interesting that your question should be framed in the way that it is. I am not sure if you ran that past your shadow ministerial counterpart.

David Davis interjected.

Harriet SHING: Did you? You did, Mr Davis. Because one commentator by the name of R Reardon from the other place has actually said and acknowledged that we, Victoria, ‘have in fact built more homes than other states’. So, Mr Davis, I am not sure what kind of –

David Davis: On a point of order, President, it is a very, very specific question. It is about the time from approval to completion, and that has increased by 32 per cent. The minister refuses to deal with this period of time. It has gone up 32 per cent under your government.

Harriet SHING: Mr Davis, we are building more homes than the rest of Australia. We are at 98 per cent of our housing target under the Commonwealth accord. Mr Davis, the work that we are doing is informing and shaping the work in other jurisdictions. Your own shadow minister, Mr Davis –

Renee Heath: On a point of order, President, I believe the minister is debating.

The PRESIDENT: I think the minister has been relevant to the question.

Harriet SHING: It is a shame also, Dr Heath, that you do not want to hear the answer to the question, namely that we are building more homes, we are building more homes of quality. What a shame you opposed the buyer protection legislation in this place not that long ago.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, the minister is wilfully stepping away from the actual question. The question is about the time from approval to completion. Why has that gone up? She does not seem to want to answer that.

The PRESIDENT: I think without paraphrasing people, which is very dangerous for me to do, I think the minister is rejecting the premise of the question as far as delivery of housing, but I will call the minister back to the question.

Harriet SHING: Thank you, Mr Davis. Again, your own shadow minister has conceded, has been drawn, as you should also be drawn, kicking and screaming to the actual factual conclusion that we are approving, building and completing more homes than other jurisdictions. Ninety-eight per cent of the Commonwealth target under the accord has been met. That is in stark contrast to New South Wales and Queensland. I am looking forward to speaking further about that in a moment. Mr Davis, you need to stop blocking and help us to continue building.

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:21): I notice that the minister continues to refuse to answer the simple question about that time period. Now I ask further, the NBA figures show that in 2013–14 it took 8.28 months from approval to completion of new homes on average under the Baillieu government, while it took 9.78 months for homes for approval to completion, an 18 per cent increase in duration. Why has the government that you are housing minister in failed Victorians so badly in this completion time, which adds to cost. Why has it gone up 18 per cent for houses?

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:22): Thanks, Mr Davis. Again, you quote the master builders. I am in constant discussion with the master builders, and I just want to quote to you Michaela Lihou, who said in a press release of just last week:

… the latest Master Builders Australia data is further good news for Victorians looking to build a home.

She said it seems like:

… we’ve turned a positive corner and that’s great news for the industry and Victoria’s potential home builders.

Members interjecting.

Harriet SHING: You use selective data.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, the master builders have a time series that goes back longer. The minister refuses to address this.

Harriet SHING: It is a 2024–25 figure.

David Davis: Yes, and that figure is still far higher than it was under the Baillieu government. I think it is higher than it was under the Baillieu government. That is the point, and I am asking why you cannot achieve the Baillieu government figures.

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! I think it has sort of turned into a conversation across rather than a question and answers. But I think the minister was being relevant, and I will call her.

Harriet SHING: Thank you so much, Mr Davis. I just want to be really clear, the figures released just last week by the Master Builders of Victoria – again, the 2024–25 data shows that in Victoria the average build time for a detached house is 39.12 weeks, compared to the Australian average of 45.96 weeks. Now nationally for detached houses, there was an 11.5-month gap between building approvals and completions, and townhouses typically took 14.8 months to complete, while apartments had a 32.9-month build time and detached houses saw the biggest improvement in build times, now 9.7 per cent shorter or 5.4 weeks. Mr Davis, stop selectively quoting and get on board with building.