Housing supply growth lags as quarry fees rise
Victoria recorded a 9.7% monthly increase in total dwelling approvals in July, even as its longer-term housing supply recovery lagged several other states.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data cited by Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia showed total dwelling approvals across Australia fell 3.6% in July. In Victoria, private sector house approvals fell 4.1% and total approvals declined 1.2% in trend terms.
The state also remained Australia’s largest housing-start market in absolute terms in the March quarter. Victoria recorded 13,972 dwellings commencing construction, ahead of New South Wales and Queensland.
Across the four quarters to March 2026, about 55,200 dwellings commenced in Victoria. That was an increase of 1.5% on the previous four-quarter period.
By comparison, commencements grew by about 19.5% in Queensland over the same period. Western Australia and South Australia each recorded growth of 15.2%.
CCAA warns on quarry fee rises
Following those figures, CCAA met Victorian Minister for Housing, Building and Precincts Nick Staikos in the week of 2 September 2026. The group used the meeting to argue that housing targets depend on steady supplies of cement, concrete and aggregates.
CCAA warned that significant increases to quarry fees from 1 January 2027 could raise costs for construction material suppliers. It also pointed to further regulatory reform as another source of added complexity.
Michael Kilgariff, CCAA’s chief executive officer, said, “Every new home requires concrete, cement and aggregates, and Victoria needs a secure and competitive supply of those materials if its housing ambitions are going to translate into homes on the ground.”
The industry body is calling for more proportionate rehabilitation bond arrangements, faster quarry approvals and stronger protection for strategically important construction material resources.
CCAA welcomed the Victorian government’s continued focus on increasing housing supply. However, it argued that more approvals alone will not deliver homes if local material supply becomes more expensive or harder to approve.
Victoria’s position is mixed. July approvals rose on the month, but the broader trend fell and construction growth over the year to March 2026 remained well below Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.
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