Property Council ACT & Capital Region Executive Director Ashlee Berry said the results confirm what the industry has been warning for months - that the ACT is heading over a housing and investment cliff without urgent intervention.
"Confidence in the ACT has dropped to 104 index points, down from 111 last quarter - now the lowest of any jurisdiction in the country – we are the only state or territory tracking down while others hold steady or lift," Ms Berry said.
"The ACT is the only market nationally where survey respondents have negative expectations for both national and state economic growth, while confidence in the ACT Government's ability to manage growth has slumped from minus 33.7 points to minus 59.6 points.
The September 2025 survey for the ACT shows:
- Confidence down to 104 index points (from 111 last quarter), the lowest in the country. A score of 100 is considered neutral
- Staffing expectations remain positive, with firms still looking to grow.
- Forward work schedules trending upwards, despite wider feasibility pressures.
- National and state economic growth expectations negative - unique to the ACT.
- Residential capital growth expectations down.
- Office growth expectations sharply down - the steepest decline nationally.
- Retail capital growth expectations negative - ACT is the only jurisdiction forecasting a fall.
- Retirement and hotels sectors also forecast weaker conditions.
- Sentiment towards the Federal Government the lowest of any jurisdiction, with property taxes and charges ranked as the top issue for the industry at Territory level.
"The collapse in office growth expectations - the sharpest decline nationally - underlines how fragile confidence is in Canberra's commercial market and the need for immediate action on rates reform, faster approvals and a stronger precinct strategy," Ms Berry said.
"For housing, rising rates, higher taxes, red tape and a slow planning system are all eroding viability, shrinking the pipeline and continuing to constrain delivery. It's a clear signal that feasibility, not demand, is the barrier to getting more homes on the ground.
"We have been warning for months that the ACT was heading for this cliff. The only way out is for government to work with industry to repair the fundamentals: land release, planning reform, and fairer taxes and charges," she said.
