Budget unleashes AI to break housing and environmental approval bottlenecks

"The commitment of more than $500 million to implement reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) represents a critical step towards not just announcing an overhaul of the long debated EPBC laws - but now to delivery of the new laws and embedding them into future projects.

"Australia's environmental approvals system has not kept pace with the scale or urgency of our housing challenge. This Budget begins the shift toward a modern system that uses better data, digital tools and AI to deliver faster, clearer and more consistent decisions.

"HIA particularly welcomes the $105.9 million investment to improve access to environmental information, enhance the user experience for proponents and unlock the use of AI enabled systems and data integration.

"Harnessing AI has the potential to transform approvals from a slow, fragmented process into a streamlined, evidence based system. HIA has been calling for an 'Uber-for-Approvals' to improve transparency and remove constant stop clock mechanisms that slow approvals to a halt. Today's announcement goes a long way towards that.

"Smarter approvals can reduce duplication, flag low risk projects earlier and ensure regulatory effort is focused where environmental risk is genuinely highest.

"Modernising approvals systems will provide greater certainty for builders, developers and investors, while maintaining strong environmental protections.

"We want systems that are fit for purpose - systems that deliver a faster yes or a faster no. That certainty is essential to getting projects moving and homes built sooner.

"HIA also welcomed funding to fast track approvals with states and territories through bilateral agreements, which would help align environmental and planning systems nationwide and remove unnecessary levels of duplication for project approvals.

"A digitally enabled, nationally consistent framework will reduce delays caused by the same information being assessed multiple times by different agencies.

"Removing that duplication is critical if we are serious about increasing housing supply.

"This announcement follows the Government's additional $2 billion investment in enabling infrastructure - including roads, water, power and sewerage - is vital to ensuring approvals reform translates into homes on the ground.

"Infrastructure, approvals reform and digital transformation must work together.

"Without serviced land and modern systems, Australia cannot build at the scale required to restore housing affordability.

"Today's announcement build off the work of the EPBC housing strike team, which has approved more than 20,000 homes since August last year, demonstrates what can be achieved when approvals processes are prioritised and properly resourced.

"This Budget sends an encouraging signal, but effective implementation of the reforms will be crucial.

"The focus must now be on timely delivery - ensuring these investments genuinely reduce delays, embrace technology and help the housing industry build the homes Australians urgently need," concluded Ms Martin.