Planning Reform Across Australia: A Snapshot of What Is Changing Where

9 January 2026

Planning reform is often spoken about as though it is a single thing. In reality, reform is unfolding very differently across Australia’s states and territories, shaped by local pressures, political cycles and the maturity of each state's unique planning system.

Across the country, planners and governments are responding to significant housing supply challenges, infrastructure delivery constraints and community expectations in distinct ways.

Here is a high-level snapshot of some of the key planning reforms currently underway in each jurisdiction.

New South Wales

• Major system reform underway, including a new Targeted assessment pathway and Development Coordination Authority.
• Expanded state assessment pathways, including the Housing Delivery Authority.
• Release of A New Approach to Strategic Planning: Discussion Paper, and exhibition of the Sydney Plan as the first expression of a reset strategic planning framework.
• New NSW Housing Pattern Book, with low-rise patterns (terraces, townhouses, dual occupancies, manor homes) and mid-rise apartment patterns (3–6 storeys)
• Transport Oriented Development (TOD) SEPP that applies new planning controls around identified rail and metro stations

Victoria

• Major amendments to the Act passed by Parliament in late 2025, introduced a tiered permit assessment pathways with statutory decision timeframes
• Activity Centres Program ongoing, with draft plans for next 25 train and tram stations released for consultation
• Updated Townhouse and Low-Rise Code and the 4 Storey Apartment Standards
• Car parking reform adopted which lower the car parking rates in strategically located areas
• Plan for Victoria continues to be the overarching document to guide reform direction.
• Victorian State Election scheduled for November 2026.

Queensland

• Updates to the Planning Regulation 2017, including extensions to temporary housing provisions and new build to rent definition.
• Commitment to 13 new or updated Regional Plans covering the state, supported by integrated Regional Infrastructure Plans.
• $2 billion Residential Activation Fund to deliver trunk infrastructure needed to unlock approved housing supply.

South Australia

• Updates to the Planning, Development and Infrastructure (General) Regulations 2017 to improve system efficiency.
• South Australian Planning Commission Strategic Plan 2025–26 released.
• Focus on system stewardship, performance and governance.
• Increasing policy emphasis on greenfield development, reflecting infill feasibility challenges.
• State election scheduled for March 2026.

Western Australia

• Announcement of a Transit Oriented Development Program to plan priority station precincts for increased density.
• Upper House inquiry examining the role and decisions of the WA Planning Commission.
• Progression of Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million as the primary metropolitan spatial strategy.

Tasmania

• Publication of the first Tasmanian Planning Policies. Planning Policies to guide regional strategies and statutory planning from July 2026.
• Released the draft Southern Tasmanian Regional Land Use Strategy for consultation.
• Incremental reform focused on modernising the Tasmanian Planning Scheme.

Northern Territory

• Consultation on infill development and subdivision in Zone LR (Low Density Residential), exploring ways to enable infill and subdivision patterns in traditionally low-density areas
• Planning scheme amendments to fast-track low-risk development.
• Draft Strategic Planning Policy released to provide high-level direction for strategic land use planning and policy development across the Territory

Australian Capital Territory

• Release of the Planning Ministers Statement of Planning Priorities 2025–28.
• Draft Major Plan Amendment 04 – Missing Middle Housing Reforms (DPA-04) has been referred to the ACT Legislative Assembly’s Standing Committee on Environment and Planning for inquiry
• Publication of the Housing Supply and Land Release Program to guide delivery and infrastructure sequencing.

An important north-star during this significant period of change is ensuring reforms shift the dial in a positive way, delivering more homes in well-planned communities with the infrastructure, services and amenity required. This requires planning systems to be set up to succeed, and the professional planners responsible for implementation to be adequately supported.