The Property Council of Australia has welcomed the 2025–26 NSW budget, describing it as a practical and forward-looking response to long-standing industry concerns about housing delivery, planning reform, and project feasibility.
“This is a budget that listens. From unlocking finance to fast-tracking approvals, we’re seeing tangible measures that will help bring forward the homes, infrastructure and jobs NSW needs,” said Property Council NSW executive director Katie Stevenson (pictured).
“Key priorities we’ve championed – including a state-backed finance guarantee, planning reform, investment in regional infrastructure and support for the construction workforce – have all been backed in by this budget.”
One of the standout initiatives is the government’s new Pre-Sale Finance Guarantee, a $1 billion revolving fund to underwrite up to 50% of pre-sales for eligible residential projects.
“The Pre-Sale Finance Guarantee responds directly to that issue and to the conversations we kickstarted last year,” Stevenson said. “It couldn’t come at a more critical time when we’re facing a steep climb to achieve our National Housing Accord target of 377,000 new homes by 2029.”
The scheme is a direct response to the Property Council’s 2024 Ministerial Roundtable, held in partnership with the Australian Banking Association, which identified high pre-sale thresholds as a major barrier to feasibility.
“This is a real breakthrough,” Stevenson said. “Our feasibility research with Savills last year confirmed finance as one of the most significant barriers to feasibility.
“Projects that tick all the boxes – planning approval, market demand, sound delivery partners – are unable to proceed because developers can’t meet unworkable pre-sale thresholds.”
Under the scheme, the NSW government will act as guarantor on between $5 million and $50 million of pre-sales per project, with eligibility tied to developer credibility and project readiness. Construction must commence within six months of guarantee approval.
“This guarantee removes a key obstacle and opens the door for viable projects to proceed. It’s a smart policy that responds directly to industry needs,” Stevenson said.
The budget also delivers on several other Property Council priorities, including permanent tax relief, infrastructure upgrades, and support for local planning systems.
“This budget backs in housing delivery with action on every front: faster assessments, better-resourced councils, skilled workers, and a permanent land tax concession for Build-to-rent,” Stevenson said.
“There’s still more to do, particularly around development contributions and land use certainty – but this budget is another big step forward in the right direction.”
Workforce and skills
