Housing Industry Association announces the release of a new Discussion Paper by HIA Economics, which focusses on some of the drivers behind the changing composition of Australia’s new housing supply.

Detached housing is the predominant form of residential dwelling in Australia with this segment still accounting for around 70 per cent of the country’s total dwelling stock. However, there has been a discernible decline in the detached house share of total new dwelling commencements over the last 20 years, with the trend accelerating considerably over the last few years.

‘Multi-unit’ dwellings are now a far more significant part of the new home building market than at any other point in Australia's history. Representing just 5 per cent of total housing commencements 20 years ago, the medium/high density component of multi-unit commencements (units of three storeys or more) has shown an incremental increase in share, reaching around 25 per cent in 2014.

However, with a total housing stock of around nine million homes, it will take many years for the incremental changes to make a material impact on the overall composition of Australian housing.

The Discussion Paper by HIA Economics examining the changing composition of Australia's new housing mix, also covers elements of supply, demand and the policy environment, all of which are influencing the change currently occurring in Australia's new housing mix.