The Property Council of Australia today welcomed the 2025-26 NSW Budget as a clear response to industry calls for further support on housing delivery, planning reform and productivity.
Property Council NSW Executive Director Katie Stevenson said the Budget delivered real wins for the industry - reflecting months of advocacy on the practical reforms needed to get more homes built and investment moving.
"This is a Budget that listens. From unlocking finance to fast-tracking approvals, we're seeing tangible measures that will help bring forward the homes, infrastructure and jobs NSW needs," Ms Stevenson said.
"Key priorities we've championed - including a state-backed finance guarantee, planning reform, investment in regional infrastructure and support for the construction workforce - have all been backed in by this Budget."
Ms Stevenson said the Government's new Pre-Sale Finance Guarantee was a direct response to Property Council advocacy, particularly the 2024 Ministerial Roundtable with the Australian Banking Association, and ongoing constructive engagement with government.
"Our research with Savills confirmed what developers have been telling us - finance is the barrier stopping good projects with planning approval from moving forward," she said.
"This guarantee removes a key obstacle and opens the door for viable projects to proceed. It's a smart policy that responds directly to industry needs."
Ms Stevenson said the Budget also delivered on Property Council priorities for planning reform, enabling infrastructure and grow industry capability.
"This Budget backs in housing delivery with action on every front: faster assessments, better-resourced councils, skilled workers, and a permanent land tax concession for Build-to-rent," she said.
"There's still more to do, particularly around development contributions and land use certainty - but this Budget is another big step forward in the right direction."
Key Budget measures secured through Property Council advocacy include:
Tax and Finance
- A new Pre-Sale Finance Guarantee, with the Government to act as guarantor on up to 50% of pre-sales for eligible residential projects-supporting up to $1 billion in housing delivery through a revolving fund.
- A permanent 50% land tax concession for eligible Build-to-rent housing, removing the previous 2039 sunset and improving investor certainty.
Infrastructure and Transport
- New Works-in-kind guidelines to accelerate infrastructure delivery to unlock housing supply.
- Over $150 million in additional funding for Western Sydney Aerotropolis roads and water infrastructure.
- $452 million investment in bus services, including for growth areas in Western Sydney, the Hunter, Illawarra and Central Coast.
- $7.6 million to continue the Government's Land Audit, which has identified over 8,200 potential homes to date that could be delivered on surplus government land.
Improving Government Processes
- $17.7 million to establish a new Investment Delivery Authority to fast-track major non-residential projects including data centres, hotels and logistics projects to support up to $50 billion in private investment annually.
- $145 million in new funding for Building Commission NSW to improve construction quality and compliance.
- $122 million in additional planning reform funding, including:
- $83.4 million to speed up planning approvals
- $10.6 million to support the Housing Delivery Authority
- $20.9 million to help regional councils bring forward enabling infrastructure.
Innovation and Productivity
- A $79.2 million package to support the NSW Innovation Blueprint, including $38.5 million for Tech Central, $20 million for emerging technologies in housing and energy, and $4 million to establish the Housing Innovation Network and Housing Construction Program to connect researchers, start-ups and industry and promote new technologies that speed up housing construction.
- A Global Investment Summit to be held in Sydney this October, to position NSW as the investment capital of the Asia-Pacific and showcase the state's economic strengths.
- $27.3 million to establish the Future Jobs and Investment Authority, with access to $100 million to support economic transition in coal-reliant regions.
Workforce
- $40.2 million for 23,000 fee-free construction apprenticeships and $13.8 million to upskill 4,800 workers through a Construction Workforce Package.
The Property Council will host NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey for a post-Budget address and Q&A this Thursday in Sydney.
