Newsletter – Urban Taskforce

Media Release | Kanofski Report into Housing Australia says Canberra Bureaucracy is putting HAFF funded housing delivery at risk | 04.09.26

CEO of the Urban Taskforce, Tom Forrest, said today that a new Report prepared...

URBAN LIVING NETWORK | 4 September 2026

URBAN LIVING NETWORK | 4 September 2026 In this edition…...

Media Release | ABS housing approvals data: It’s official - things are bad | 01.09.26

Urban Taskforce Australia CEO, Tom Forrest, said today that the ABS approvals...

Construction businesses falling into insolvency | ABC 702 Sydney | 31.08.26

Around 1,500 construction businesses fell into insolvency last financial...

Media Release | Urban Taskforce says Ryde’s IHO on TG Millner is the height of hypocrisy | 31.08.26

CEO of the Urban Taskforce, Tom Forrest, said that Ryde Council has no...

Mass exodus from building industry as 1500 firms shut across NSW | The Daily Telegraph | 30.08.26

Development industry leaders warn projects in Sydney are being bogged down...

Sydney developer’s $3.3b collapse sparks ‘contagion’ fears across housing sector | Sydney Morning Herald | 30.08.26

There are fears developer Bathla’s $3.3 billion collapse could have...

Parking slashed for new developments in Sydney's Inner West | 2GB Sydney | 28.08.26

Urban Taskforce CEO Tom Forrest was interviewed on 2GB’s Afternoons...

Parking slashed for new developments in Sydney’s Inner West | Sydney Morning Herald | 28.08.26

Urban Taskforce CEO Tom Forrest was quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald’s...

Media Release | Housing Australia underwrites interest rate risk | 27.08.26

CEO of the Urban Taskforce, Tom Forrest, said today that the announcement...

Funding for affordable housing gets tick of approval | Australian Conveyancer | 25.08.26

Urban Taskforce CEO Tom Forrest was quoted in the Australian Conveyancer,...

Media Release | H.A. funding for more social and affordable housing will underwrite market housing viability | 25.08.26

CEO of Urban Taskforce Australia, Tom Forrest, today welcomed the latest...

Media Release | NHSAC belatedly acknowledges the obvious - Housing Accord targets will be missed | 21.08.26

CEO of Urban Taskforce Australia, Tom Forrest, said today that nobody should...

URBAN LIVING NETWORK | 21 August 2026

URBAN LIVING NETWORK | 21 August 2026 In this edition…...

Proposed Amendments to Planning Controls for Cumberland City | 17.08.26

I write in response to the proposed amendments to planning controls for...

The Sydney Plan | 7News | 13.08.26

Urban Taskforce CEO Tom Forrest has told 7NEWS the NSW Government’s...

Media Release | Sydney Plan requires doubling the current new homes completions rate | 13.08.26

CEO of Urban Taskforce Australia, Tom Forrest, said today that the long-awaited...

Urban Taskforce welcomes Opposition's call to reduce red tape on construction | ABC News Radio

Urban Taskforce Australia CEO Tom Forrest was a guest on ABC News Radio...

Media Release | Urban Taskforce welcomes Senate’s Interim Report: Housing | 11.08.26

The Senate’s latest report on housing is a welcome addition to the ongoing...

Media Release | Town Hall Square a costly vanity project | 11.08.26

City of Sydney Council’s plans to demolish seven buildings to create a...

Media Release | Now is not the time to tinker with LMR reforms | 07.08.26

The middle of a housing supply crisis is not the time to be changing reforms...

Media Release | Urban Taskforce thanks Simon Draper and welcomes Michael Coutts-Trotter | 07.08.2026

Simon Draper‘s contribution to the reform and facilitation of housing in...

URBAN LIVING NETWORK | 7 August 2026

URBAN LIVING NETWORK | 7 AUGUST 2026 In this Edition… Now...

Developers abandon projects amid warning Australia is becoming a ‘nation of renters’ | The Australian | 05.08.26

Urban Taskforce Australia Acting CEO Paul Waterhouse has warned the impact...

Media Release | Building Bill is a welcome blow to ambulance-chasing lawyers | 05.08.26

Acting Urban Taskforce Australia CEO, Paul Waterhouse, welcomed the passing...

Improving Development Assessment | 04.08.26

I write in response to the Department’s discussion paper on Improving Development...

Draft Strathfield Resilience Strategy 2026-2036 | 04.08.26

I write in response to the draft resilience strategy for Strathfield Municipal...

Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy – Stage 2 | 02.08.26

I write in response to the Planning Proposal, draft Development Control...

Minimum Tax on Discretionary Trusts | 31.07.26

Urban Taskforce Australia understands that the Federal Government intends...

Media Release | Urban Taskforce welcomes Wilton water works | 31.07.26

Stage 2 of the delivery of water and wastewater infrastructure for the...

Media Release | ABS housing approvals data: positive signs, but still ground to make up | 30.07.26

Acting Urban Taskforce Australia CEO, Paul Waterhouse, has welcomed today’s...

Standard and Model Conditions of Consent: Explanation of Intended Effect | 30.07.26

I write in response to the Explanation of Intended Effect for Standard...

Media Release | 30 years of feasible housing? Great! First convince councils! | 29.07.26

The NSW Government’s new announcement that councils will have to plan and...

Media Release | Urban Taskforce agrees with PC: default to “yes” on housing supply | 28.07.26

Acting Urban Taskforce Australia CEO, Paul Waterhouse, says that the Productivity...

Woollhara Affordable Housing Policy | 26.07.26

I write in relation to Woollahra Council’s draft affordable housing policy,...

URBAN LIVING NETWORK | 24 July 2026

URBAN LIVING NETWORK | 24 JULY 2026 In this edition… 1. Local government...

Media Release | Bondi Junction Masterplan shows how vision can unlock housing | 22.07.26

Urban Taskforce Australia Acting CEO Paul Waterhouse said Waverley Council’s...

Media Release | Local government incentives are the right move for housing supply | 21.07.26

Acting Urban Taskforce Australia CEO, Paul Waterhouse, said that the NSW...

Lane Cove Draft Planning Agreement | 21.07.2026

I write in relation to Lane Cove Council’s proposed Planning Agreements...

Lane Cove Affordable Housing Policy | 21.07.26

I write in relation to Lane Cove Council’s draft affordable housing policy,...

Brookvale Precinct Planning Proposal | 21.07.26

I write in relation to the planning proposal for Brookvale that is being...

Urban Taskforce warns of economic impacts should house prices fall dramatically | 2GB Sydney

Urban Taskforce Australia has warned of financial instability in Australia’s...

"If housing prices plummet, new construction will dry up" Tom Forrest, Urban Taskforce CEO, Opinion piece in The Daily Telegraph | 16.07.26

“If housing prices were to fall by, say, 15 per cent, the financial...

Draft Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Biodiversity Offsets Scheme) Regulation 2026 | 16.07.26

Urban Taskforce Australia has reviewed the Draft Biodiversity Conservation...

Affordable Housing Managers Regulatory Framework | 10.07.26

I write in relation to the draft regulations and Affordable Housing Mangers...

URBAN LIVING NETWORK | 10.07.26

URBAN LIVING NETWORK | 10 July 2026 In this edition… 1. ABS Quarterly...

North's housing is going south | The Daily Telegraph | 10.07.26

A new article published today highlights what Urban Taskforce Australia...

Media Release | ABS approvals data – A fine grain analysis of LGA performance | 09.07.26

Urban Taskforce CEO, Tom Forrest, said that yesterday’s ABS statistics...

Media Release | ABS Quarterly Commencements and Completions data shows a decline in housing supply | 08.07.26

Urban Taskforce CEO, Tom Forrest, said that today’s quarterly ABS commencements...

Developer charges and recycled water prices for metropolitan water businesses | 06.07.26

I write in relation to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s...