Property Council ACT & Capital Region Executive Director Ashlee Berry said the latest Procore/Property Council sentiment survey shows confidence moving in the right direction, in part bolstered by the ACT Government's commitments at last month's Capital Region Housing Summit.
"Confidence has improved and that's a positive shift for the Territory. The government put serious reforms on the table last month and industry has responded favourably - but the numbers also tell us that any recovery is still early and fragile," Ms Berry said.
"The fundamentals are the same – taxes and charges, slow approvals and weak feasibility are still weighing on the pipeline, and firms are expecting to find it harder to access finance.
"The uplift in sentiment will only hold if the reforms announced by the government - reducing duplication, streamlining decision-making, exploring the use of AI technology to drive approvals and, critically, Lease Variation Charge (LVC) reforms are delivered at pace," she said.
The December 2025 survey for the ACT shows:
- Confidence at 113, up from 104 but still the second-lowest nationally.
- Negative expectations for both national and state economic growth.
- The ACT is the only market expecting debt finance availability to tighten.
- Office and retail capital growth expectations remain negative.
- Forward work schedules positive but below stronger-performing states.
- Staffing expectations remain positive.
Ms Berry said the sentiment aligns with the wider data, which shows approvals stuck at low levels, commencements weak and completions still falling short of population-driven demand.
"The lift in confidence is welcome, but the pipeline is still thin. Unless approvals accelerate and feasibility improves, we won't see a material shift in delivery," she said.
Ms Berry said the outcomes of the Capital Region Housing Summit and the Chief Minister's commitment to LVC reform have created a genuine opportunity to turn sentiment around.
"The government is making the right moves. Recognition that LVC is undermining feasibility is significant and industry wants to see that fixed quickly.
"The same applies to the Developer Licensing scheme. If it's recalibrated properly, it can support better outcomes rather than add more cost and complexity," Ms Berry said.
Procore / Property Council Industry Sentiment Survey December 2025 Chartbook
