Prefab and modular housing: A clear fix backed following roundtable
A win for modern methods of construction
Friday 22 August 2025 - AMPLIFY welcomes the Economic Reform Roundtable’s focus on addressing the housing crisis and the Treasurer’s comments on the need to do more to increase the uptake of modular and prefab housing.
“We know the Australian public supports an increase in modern housing construction to address ourhousing crisis, and we welcome any move by the Federal Government to boost modular and prefabhousing for the community,” AMPLIFY CEO Georgina Harrisson said.
“Australia is behind other countries in terms of its use of modern construction and prefabricatedhousing, and we believe there is a major opportunity here to address the housing crisis and giveAustralians a fair go at housing.”
At our housing deliberation earlier this year, 96 per cent of participants backed the expansion ofprefab housing. More widely, an AMPLIFY YouGov poll showed 70 per cent of Australians supportedexpanding the use of prefab housing.Modern construction offers an opportunity for higher build quality, certainty on build time and costand faster delivery. AMPLIFY has been campaigning for changes to scale up modular and prefabhousing construction around the country.
"Bold reform in this area will require the cooperation of the States and Territory governments andwe’re here to represent the community and to promote policy solutions that are backed by the public,” Ms Harrisson said.
“Governments can support modern construction through seeding a pipeline of demand by procuringsocial and affordable housing, modernising the regulations and by addressing the skills this industryneeds for the future.”
A recent YouGov poll commissioned by AMPLIFY found 66 per cent of Australians believe buildingmore homes will have a positive impact on national productivity.
Housing was a strong focus of the roundtable, and we welcome flagged changes to make the National Construction Code less complex. However, any pause of the code must not be an excuse forinaction.“Any pause to the National Construction Code shouldn’t get in the way of essential regulatory changesrequired for the modern prefab sector to thrive,” Ms Harrisson said.
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About AMPLIFY
AMPLIFY is a non-partisan, not-for-profit, community organisation that brings together everydayAustralians to debate and discuss policy solutions to the big problems facing the nation.Through nationwide events, online discussions, and expert collaborations, AMPLIFY empowerscitizens to actively participate in shaping policies on critical issues like housing, trust in institutions,and generational equity. AMPLIFY is where Australians come together to explore diverse perspectives,build consensus and drive meaningful policy change. For more information: amplifyaus.org.