Australia’s housing crisis continues to be a towering challenge, with state governments across the country rolling out big promises and bold blueprints to tackle the ongoing shortfall.
With the National Housing Accord setting a sky-high target of 1.2 million new homes by 2029, the pressure has been on for politicians to lay the right foundations and frame up some real solutions to fix the nation’s housing woes.
While some states are getting stuck into the job, others are barely breaking ground.
So, how do these housing policies stack up? How effective are they? And more importantly, how does your state compare?
Well, the results are in, the Housing Industry Association (HIA) 2025 Housing Policy Scoreboard has ranked each state and territory on their housing supply strategies so far.
More bricks, fewer broken promises
The HIA Housing Policy Scoreboard is more than just a ranking—it’s a hard-hat reality check on how well each state is tackling Australia’s housing supply crisis.
With housing affordability at record lows and interest rates locking buyers out, fixing Australia’s housing crisis requires more than just press conferences and planning documents—it needs real action.
By assessing ten key policy areas, the Scoreboard highlights which states are laying solid foundations and which are still stuck at the planning stage.
HIA Senior Economist Matt King warns that while some states have taken significant steps forward, none is currently on track to meet its National Housing Accord targets.
“Governments across the country are making announcements aimed at improving housing supply, and it is challenging to determine which policies will genuinely improve housing supply from those that are disguising new taxes,” said Mr King.
So, what exactly is being measured?
The Scoreboard assesses states based on ten critical areas that impact housing supply, including:
- New housing targets
- First home buyer stamp duty exemption
- Stamp duty exemption on new housing
- Fast-tracked land release program
- Investment in residential building trades
- First homeowner grant
- First home buyer shared equity scheme
- Fast-tracked development approvals
- Land supply dashboard
- Social housing targets and investment
“South Australia and Western Australia both received significantly higher rankings, with decisive planning reforms, streamlined development approvals, and a strong focus on land release,” Mr King said.
However, despite these efforts, even the top-ranking states aren’t building enough homes to meet their targets.
“Despite these steps forward, neither South Australia nor Western Australia are on track to build the number of homes required to meet their contribution to deliver on the government’s 1.2 million homes target,” he explained.
At the other end of the construction queue, ACT (4/10) and the Northern Territory (5/10) have struggled to cement a solid housing plan, with red tape and slow approvals grinding development to a halt.
HIA Executive Director Brad Armitage was particularly critical of New South Wales, saying the state needs to stop making big announcements and start delivering homes.
“NSW Housing Policy makers seem to be more interested in announcements than deliverables,” Mr Armitage said.
He pointed to issues such as the slow rollout of duplex planning reforms and local councils having too much power to prevent developments.
“This year alone, we stand to build over 30,000 homes less than what we need,” he warned.
How your state ranks
So which states are laying the right foundations to fix Australia’s housing crisis?
The HIA Housing Policy Scoreboard ranks each state and territory on their ability to deliver new homes through effective housing policies. Here’s how they performed:
South Australia
✔ Leading the nation with decisive planning reforms.
✔ Streamlined land release strategies, cutting development time by up to 18 months.
✔ Strong investment in skilled residential construction trades.
✔ Complete removal of stamp duty for first-home buyers purchasing new homes.
Overall score – 9/10
Western Australia
✔ Significant investment in boosting the residential construction workforce.
✔ Innovative shared equity scheme helping first-home buyers enter the market.
✔ Land supply dashboard providing transparency on available housing land.
✔ Stamp duty exemptions for new homes up to $450,000.
Overall score – 8/10
New South Wales
✔ $5.1 billion investment in social housing.
✔ Introduction of the Housing Delivery Authority to fast-track approvals.
❌ Missed opportunities in Greenfield land supply expansion.
❌ Local councils retain too much power over development approvals, slowing housing delivery.
Overall score – 6/10
Victoria
✔ 12-month cut to stamp duty for off-the-plan units and townhouses.
✔ $5.3 billion Big Housing Build still in effect, aiming to deliver 12,000 social and affordable homes.
❌ Introduction of a 7.5% Short Stay Levy, adding another tax to housing.
❌ Lack of significant investment in residential building trades.
Overall score – 6/10
Queensland
✔ Most generous first-home owner grant in Australia. $30,000 for new homes.
✔ Statutory dwelling supply targets set for each council area.
❌ Apartment construction is struggling due to high costs and red tape.
❌ Development approval times still too slow (over 75 days).
Overall score – 5/10
Tasmania
✔ Shared equity program helping first-home buyers enter the market.
✔ $10,000 grant for building new rental dwellings.
❌ No policies to accelerate land release for residential development.
❌ Development application times need significant improvement.
Overall score – 6/10
Northern Territory
✔ Full stamp duty exemption on new homes, making homeownership more affordable.
✔ Joint $4 billion investment with the Commonwealth to build homes in remote communities.
❌ Weak strategic planning framework for new developments.
❌ Lack of meaningful support for first-home buyers.
Overall score – 5/10
Australian Capital Territory
✔ Dual occupancy developments allowed in larger land blocks.
✔ Home Buyer Concession Scheme removes stamp duty for homes under $1 million.
❌ ACT has the lowest housing approval numbers in 55 years.
❌ Planning and land release processes need urgent reform.
Overall score – 4/10
For more information on this years rankings, check out the full HIA Housing Policy Scoreboard 2025.
