Australia’s population is set to surge past 40 million by 2065, prompting calls for a coordinated national growth plan to ease pressure on housing, infrastructure and cost of living.
A new report from the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) has called on the Federal Government to commit to a National Plan for Australia’s Growth, warning that without better coordination, Australians will face rising housing pressures, longer commutes and increasing exposure to natural disasters.
Planning Institute of Australia National President, Emma Riley, said fragmented decision-making across housing, infrastructure and population policy was contributing to mounting challenges.
“Right now, decisions about housing, infrastructure and population aren’t joined up, and that’s one of the reasons why people are feeling the pressure in their day-to-day lives,” Riley said.
“When growth isn’t planned well, people pay for it through higher house prices and rents, more time stuck in traffic, and overcrowded services and infrastructure.”
The report highlights that without a national plan, this growth will continue to drive up costs and reduce quality of life. It also points to the potential economic benefits of better planning, with improved coordination across transport, housing and land use estimated to deliver a $29 billion long-term gain to the economy.
At the same time, the cost of natural disasters is already estimated at close to $40 billion annually and could exceed $70 billion a year by 2060 without stronger planning and resilience measures.
“Investing in good planning isn’t abstract, it’s about making everyday life easier and more affordable,” Riley said.
The report outlines how effective planning can deliver more homes in well-serviced areas, shorter commutes, timely infrastructure delivery and greater choice about where people live and work.
“This is about making sure growth leads to better communities, not bigger pressures on households,” Riley said.
The proposed National Plan would bring together currently disconnected decisions on housing, infrastructure, population growth and economic development into a coordinated, long-term framework.
Rather than directing where people live, the plan would ensure governments are better aligned in supporting housing supply, infrastructure delivery and economic opportunity.
The report also explores five potential growth scenarios over the next 40 years, including metropolitan megaregions, connected city regions, new cities, regional network growth and climate-resilient development.
Riley said these scenarios reflect trends already emerging across the country and highlight the need for proactive planning.
“These aren’t abstract futures, they’re happening in different ways right now. The choice is whether we get ahead of them, or keep reacting after the fact,” she said.
The Planning Institute of Australia is urging the Federal Government to build on the National Urban Policy and commit to developing a National Plan for Australia’s Growth.
“A coordinated national plan will help ensure we deliver more liveable places, stronger economies and a better quality of life for Australians,” Riley said.
