Housing affordability and development contributions: New perspectives from industry and local government in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland

Housing affordability is arguably the most significant and debated aspect of Australia's urban environment. Increasingly, state and local government fees, charges and infrastructure levies have been identified as a central driver for the increasing cost of housing across Australia. Industry organisations claim that these fees are added on to the sales price of land and/or dwellings, making purchase increasingly difficult. Drawing on a series of detailed case studies, this article delves beneath these ambit industry views to explore the specific perspectives and experiences of a sample of 18 developers in relation to 26 projects across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.