Here’s the latest I can share based on recent public coverage.
Short answer
- A Grattan Institute report on parking, titled “Wasted Space” or related media coverage around May 2026, argues that Australia should abolish mandatory parking minimums in new housing to cut costs and increase housing supply. Several outlets reported estimates of significant potential savings and housing-unit gains if these rules are removed.[1][2][3]
Key points from recent coverage
- Wasted parking waste: The Grattan study contends more than 40% of parking spaces in apartment buildings in major Australian cities sit unused, with a long-standing policy requiring minimum off-street parking contributing to higher housing costs. This aligns with reporting from multiple outlets in May 2026.[3][1]
- Financial impact: The reports estimate that removing parking minimums could save around $5.2 billion over five years by reducing the number of spaces built, and could unlock a substantial number of additional housing units (tens of thousands) in cities like Sydney and Melbourne.[1][3]
- Policy recommendations: The Grattan Institute urges state governments to curb or remove local council authority to enforce parking minimums, consider on-street parking management (permits, pricing), and separate parking rights from property ownership to allow parking spaces to be bought or leased independently.[2][3][1]
- Public and political response: Coverage notes potential political sensitivity around changing parking requirements, given public attachment to parking and concerns about on-street space use. Some outlets also highlight that households without vehicles are common in city cores, indicating demand patterns may not align with current minimums.[3][1]
Representative sources you can check
- The Guardian summary of Grattan findings on parking minimums and potential savings.[1]
- Grattan Institute media releases and Grattan news pages around May 18–19, 2026.[6][2]
- ABC News overview of the same report with figures on unused parking and housing-cost implications.[3]
- Real estate media coverage highlighting the housing-cost impact of removing parking minimums.[9]
If you’d like, I can:
- Pull the exact figures from the linked sources and present a concise data table (e.g., estimated savings, number of spaces cut, projected new housing units unlocked).
- Create a quick chart (e.g., estimated spaces avoided vs. housing units unlocked) to visualize the impact.
- Summarize the key policy proposals for state vs. local governments and potential implementation steps.
Would you like me to compile a short data table and chart based on these figures? I can also provide direct quotes or section excerpts from the sources if you want precise wording.