The National Housing Supply and Affordability Council (Council) has released its August 2026 Quarterly Report. It shows how Australia is progressing towards the National Housing Accord target to build 1.2 million new homes. It follows the inaugural March 2026 Quarterly Report and the State of the Housing System (SoHS) 2026 report released on 30 April 2026.
The Quarterly Report shows progress has been made on building approvals and commencements over the National Housing Accord period. Quarterly building approvals have risen by 26% and quarterly commencements have risen by 15%, in the latest data compared to the quarter just prior to the National Housing Accord period. There were 244,000 dwellings under construction in the March quarter 2026 (most recent data). This was the highest result since records began in 1984.
Higher fuel and petrochemical prices arising from the conflict in the Middle East have had flow‑on impacts on housing construction costs in recent months. House construction costs rose 2% in June quarter 2026, and are now 51% higher than before the COVID‑19 pandemic and the associated supply chain disruptions. Increasing construction costs may reduce the financial feasibility of some housing projects, which presents risks to housing supply in the near term.
The Council also anticipates softer market sentiment and the recent interest rate increases are likely to see some housing construction be deferred. This comes off a period of strong price growth. The Council, in its SoHS 2025 report, illustrates the strong relationship between interest rates and housing supply. The Council considers the recent tax policy developments to have a modest impact on housing supply, and supports the changes as a step to improve housing affordability.
Taken together, this Quarterly Report estimates the 1.2 million target will be reached in December quarter 2030 – one quarter later than the Council expected in the SoHS 2026 report. All states and territories have implemented a range of initiatives since the start of the National Housing Accord to increase supply, including new initiatives since the March 2026 Quarterly Report. Over time, this could potentially support an acceleration of progress.
National highlights
26%
increase in quarterly building approvals since the Accord started1
15%
increase in quarterly commencements since the Accord started2
308,000
new homes completed since the Accord started, around one-quarter of the target3
0.2%
higher costs (in real terms) to build new houses since the Accord started4
10%
faster to build new houses since the Accord started5
Notes: The national highlights use the most recent available data as at 6 August 2026.
1. Compares approvals for June quarter 2026 with June quarter 2024, in seasonally adjusted terms. For comparison, the March 2026 Quarterly Report reported a 17% increase in quarterly building approvals since the Accord started using earlier data.
2. Compares commencements for March quarter 2026 with June quarter 2024, in seasonally adjusted terms. For comparison, the March 2026 Quarterly Report reported a 17% increase in quarterly commencements since the Accord started using earlier data.
3. Aggregates gross dwelling units completed since June quarter 2024 to March quarter 2026, in seasonally adjusted terms. The data now covers 7 of the 20 quarters in the Accord period. For comparison, the March 2026 Quarterly Report reported that 219,000 new homes had been completed over the 5 quarters since the Accord started.
4. Compares construction costs for June quarter 2026 with June quarter 2024. Real construction costs are calculated by deflating the relevant construction industry output producer price indices with the headline national consumer price index. The March 2026 Quarterly Report reported it was 0.9% cheaper (in real terms) to build new houses since the Accord started using earlier data prior to the conflict in the Middle East.
5. Compares construction times for 2024–25 with 2023–24. Construction times reflect the average time from when a building approval is obtained to the time a dwelling is completed. No new data has been released since the March 2026 Quarterly Report.
Source: NHSAC 2026; ABS Building Activity 2026; ABS Building Approvals 2026; ABS Producer Price Indexes 2026; ABS Consumer Price Index 2026.
State and territory progress
| State or territory | Building approvals1 | Building completions2 | Expected Accord completion date3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change on past 12 months (rolling) | Share of Accord target4 approved (to date) | Change on past 12 months (rolling) | Share of Accord target4 built (to date) | August 2026 Quarterly Report (quarter) | Change since last report5 (quarter) | |
| NSW | 6% | 27% | −1% | 21% | Mar 2032 | Delayed from Jun 2031 |
| VIC | −2% | 37% | −9% | 32% | Dec 2029 | Unchanged |
| QLD | 23% | 35% | −2% | 24% | Mar 2031 | Delayed from Sep 2030 |
| SA | 4% | 35% | 16% | 28% | Mar 2031 | Unchanged |
| WA | 11% | 38% | −9% | 29% | Dec 2029 | Delayed from Jun 2029 |
| TAS | 17% | 20% | −13% | 16% | Jun 2034 | Delayed from Dec 2033 |
| NT | 20% | 14% | 28% | 9% | After 2034 | Unchanged |
| ACT | 42% | 33% | 5% | 34% | Dec 2029 | Delayed from Jun 2029 |
| AUS | 8% | 33% | −4% | 26% | Dec 2030 | Delayed from Sep 2030 |
Notes:
1. The latest building approvals data are for June 2026, representing 40% of the Accord period. Building approvals are measured in seasonally adjusted terms for states and in original terms for territories (as seasonally adjusted data are not available).
2. The latest building completions data are for March quarter 2026, representing 35% of the Accord period.
3. The expected Accord completion date reflects when the Council has estimated the quarter that jurisdictions will reach their share of the Accord target. The forecasting model incorporates leading indicator data for building approvals and expectations of broader market conditions. There remains significant uncertainty in the housing market outlook – expected completion dates will be revised for updated data and information in future quarterly reports.
4. The state and territory Accord targets are calculated using population shares at the time the Accord was agreed and were published by the Council in 2026. The features and limitations of the Council’s modelling framework are summarised in Box 4.1 in State of the Housing System 2026.
5. The change compares the August 2026 Quarterly Report with the State of the Housing System 2026 report.
Source: NHSAC 2026; ABS Building Activity 2026; ABS Building Approvals 2026.
Overview of key supply initiatives since the start of the Accord
New initiatives, including extensions or increased funding for existing programs, announced by the states and territories since the March 2026 Quarterly Report have been flagged as [NEW].
New South Wales
- [NEW] Reducing costs and improving productivity via Modern Methods of Construction, seeking to establish a new manufacturing facility and Regulatory Framework
- Boosting density via zoning reforms and new infrastructure under Transport Oriented Development program, Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy and infill affordable housing bonuses
- Fast-tracking large-scale rezonings, and providing high‑quality designs with Pattern Book for low and mid-rise housing, to unlock additional housing
- Driving council performance with a Statement of Expectations, public league table and financial incentives to speed up housing assessments and activating underutilised land for housing through the government land audit
- Reducing red tape via the Development Coordination Authority and accelerating major projects via the Housing Delivery Authority and new State Significant assessment pathways for housing
- Unlocking construction finance via the pre-sale Finance Guarantee and bringing forward infrastructure through Works-in-Kind guidelines and Infrastructure Opportunity Plans
- Delivering critical water infrastructure to unlock housing across Western Sydney
Victoria
- [NEW] Boosting the supply of social housing via increased investment in the Social Housing Growth Fund
- Boosting density in priority areas through the Activity Centres program
- Streamlining approvals through the Townhouse and Low-Rise Code
- Unlocking land via a vacant land tax
- Tackling infrastructure needs via a new infrastructure contribution system
- Reducing red tape in planning through the Better Decisions Made Faster Act 2026
- Speeding up approvals through the Development Facilitation Program
Queensland
- [NEW] Building infrastructure to enable new housing via the Residential Activation Fund and joint Commonwealth-Queensland Infrastructure Activation Fund
- [NEW] Making more land available for housing via the Land Activation Program to unlock under-utilised government-owned land
- [NEW] Unlocking and streamlining assessments for social and affordable housing on charity-owned and church-owned land and through the new Queensland Housing Code to standardise design and siting requirements across local government areas
- [NEW] Delivering at scale social and community homes through increased funding for the Queensland Community Housing Investment Pipeline
- Boosting productivity and efficiency by reducing red tape and reducing unnecessary costs through the Building Regulation Renovation reforms and the government’s response to the Queensland Productivity Commission Inquiry recommendations
- Boosting training via an Apprenticeship Pilot Program and the Right Skills Strategy
South Australia
- [NEW] Speeding up delivery of housing development via the establishment of a Housing Fast Track Fund composed of an apartment pre-sale guarantee and land purchase fund
- [NEW] Developing a housing pattern book of pre-approved designs to reduce design costs, approval times and delivery risks
- Releasing the Housing Roadmap to accelerate supply via major land rezonings and upgrades to water and wastewater infrastructure
- Establishing an Infrastructure Scheme and the position of a Coordinator‑General to drive the rollout of major enabling infrastructure
- Preserving rail corridors in the north and south of the state and releasing the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan
- Streamlining code amendment processes and establishing an accepted development pathway for new houses in growth areas
- Creating a pathway for eligible long-term renters to buy newly built homes via the Rent-To-Buy Affordable Housing Initiative and Stamp Duty abolishment
Western Australia
- [NEW] Unlocking construction finance via a Pre-sale Guarantee for apartments
- [NEW] Promoting regional housing supply via an uplift in Government Regional Officer Housing
- [NEW] Simplifying the Residential Design Codes (R-Codes) to enable more lots to be subdivided and reduce the approvals timeframe
- Boosting density by fast tracking housing around train station precincts
- Tackling critical infrastructure needs via the Infrastructure Development Fund
- Supporting local industry via the Housing Innovation Fund
- Boosting training via fee-free and low-fee building and construction courses
- Supporting new build-to-rent projects via the Build to Rent Kickstart Fund
Tasmania
- Streamlining subdivision approvals by removing duplicative assessment processes
- Reviewing regional land use strategies to guide and inform local planning across the state
- Building more social and affordable rentals including the Queens Walk project, an infill development
- Offering more affordable, social and private home ownership opportunities through the Huntingfield land release in southern Tasmania, which will deliver around 460 residential lots
Northern Territory
- Reducing car parking and dwelling density requirements for one-bedroom and well-located housing developments across the Northern Territory
- Implementing zoning reforms through the Katherine Densification Policy, which doubled the number of townhouses permitted on a lot without a planning approval
- Unlocking land by releasing Crown Land for residential housing and investing in infrastructure to support land release
- Fast-tracking low-risk developments via introducing new planning scheme amendment pathways that enable expedited rezoning of land for housing without public exhibition where appropriate
- Reducing red tape via removing third-party appeals rights for residential developments across the Northern Territory, and completing key legislative reforms, including the Building Legislation Amendment Bill as well as the Planning Amendment Regulations Bill
- Increasing the size of secondary dwellings permitted without planning approval in low-density residential zones by 50%
- Investigating infill opportunities through a Territory-wide review of subdivision standards within existing urban areas
Australian Capital Territory
- [NEW] Boosting density through the Missing Middle Housing reforms, including high quality pre-approved ‘missing middle’ housing designs in the new Canberra House Pattern Book and a temporary Lease Variation Charge remission
- [NEW] Growing supply of public housing via the Public Housing Pipeline
- Growing supply of affordable housing via the Affordable Housing Project Fund and the Lease Variation Charge Reduction Framework
- Unlocking land by updating the housing supply and land release pipeline
- Establishing District Strategies to guide long-term and sustainable growth
- Reducing red tape for public and community housing by removing third-party appeals
Australian Government
- [NEW] Investing in critical enabling infrastructure and incentivising reforms to unlock more housing supply through the Local Infrastructure Fund
- [NEW] Releasing the Homes for Australia Plan with 6 reform priorities to strengthen coordination and focus effort across all levels of government
- [NEW] Progressing the delivery of 100,000 homes for first home buyers in partnership with states and territories, with deals with 5 jurisdictions announced this year