Metricon Welcomes PM’s Housing Pledge – But Warns: National Housing Summit Needed to Tackle Affordability Crisis

Australia’s largest home builder, Metricon, has welcomed the Prime Minister’s renewed focus on housing affordability, but is calling for a National Housing Summit to confront the deeper structural issues that continue to lock thousands of Australians out of home ownership.

“Support for first home buyers is vital, and we welcome Labor’s expanded First Home Guarantee and commitment to build 100,000 homes,” said Brad Duggan, CEO of Metricon. “But unless we fix the root causes of the housing crisis—supply, workforce, planning and approval efficiency—we’ll just keep making the same promises every election cycle.”

Duggan said that while Labor’s proposals, like the Coalition’s mortgage tax deductibility policy, will help ease pressure for some buyers, both sides are yet to address the real barrier: the system’s inability to deliver homes at the scale and speed Australia urgently needs.

“We need a National Housing Summit now—bringing together builders, policymakers, developers and financiers to deliver a national action plan,” Duggan said. “We can’t continue to throw money at the problem without reforming how we build, approve and deliver homes across the country.”

Metricon has demonstrated that rapid home delivery is possible—building homes in as little as 60 days, thanks to strong supply chains, efficient processes and smart design. But Duggan said this level of performance remains the exception across an industry hampered by labour shortages, outdated construction methods and inconsistent planning systems.

“Metricon is ready. We’re building faster than ever before—but we need the rest of the system to catch up,” he said. “The broader industry can’t meet future demand unless we act now to fix bottlenecks and resource the way we build.”

Duggan warned that Australia’s 1.2 million home target is in serious jeopardy unless governments work with industry to boost workforce capability and capacity along with approval timelines. He also called for a Housing Report Card to hold governments accountable for delivery and affordability targets, adding: “We need real transparency and real consequences.”

With record enquiry levels across Metricon’s display homes, website and social platforms, buyer interest is strong—but uncertainty continues to hold people back.

“There’s no lack of demand. What’s missing is confidence in the system,” Duggan said. “That’s why we need a National Housing Summit to get everyone at the table, break down the roadblocks, and get this country building again—affordably, sustainably, and at scale.”

“The Great Australian Dream isn’t gone—it’s stuck in red tape and capacity shortfalls. We know how to fix it. Let’s stop talking and start building.”