The Amplify Community

Modern construction methods are changing what's possible in community housing.

Seven years living with family after a marriage breakdown and desperate for a place of her own. Then Lee moved into a brand new modular home on the Northern Rivers and everything changed.

"This house is mine forever, if I want it."

Built using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in partnership with MOOV Modular, Northern Rivers Housing has delivered 50 homes across the region in under six months, to the same standards as any brick build.

This is what's possible when community housing organisations and innovative builders work together. Imagine what's possible if governments get serious about unlocking MMC at scale. AMPLIFY research shows it could mean up to 192,000 additional homes over 20 years.

For decades, Australia has largely built homes the same way: one at a time, on site, using labour-intensive methods. You might think that over that period we’d have dramatically improved construction productivity. The truth? We build half as many homes per hour worked as we did 30 years ago.
 
The good news is that governments are finally starting to move. WA, NSW and the Federal Government have all taken recent and important steps to support Modern Methods of Construction including the Federal Government’s announcement of nearly $40 million for kit-of-parts construction.
 
In Sweden, 80% of homes are built with some aspect of modern construction involved. In Australia, it’s just 5%. As Federal Housing Minister put it last week: “We do need to change that.”
 
We agree. Let’s make sure this is just the beginning.

Ask a grandparent, a first home buyer or someone who’s been renting for years and can’t see a way out.

They’ll each tell you something different about their own situation. But they’ll all tell you the same thing about the housing crisis: it’s real, it’s everywhere, and something needs to change.

The community mandate is there, governments of all levels have a lot more to do to ensure affordable homes for all Australians.

Today’s Federal Government announcement on Modern Methods of Construction and housing red tape review is a win for the 18,000 Australians who helped build the case for it.
 
AMPLIFY welcomes both decisions from Minister for Housing, Clare O’Neil.
 
Our research shows two in three Australians back MMC, and our modelling suggests modular construction could deliver up to 20,000 extra homes a year, in half the time. That’s the scale of ambition this crisis demands.
 
There’s more work to do but today is a step in the right direction.

Australians support the direction of the government’s housing tax reforms, but feel the budget didn’t go far enough to solve the housing crisis. Chief Policy & Research Officer, Dr Rory Gallagher joined Loving Life FM, Grafton’s community radio station to unpack what our post-budget survey revealed. 
 
Read the full results at amplifyaus.org/news

We asked Australians what the Federal Government should do to fix the housing crisis. They already know what they want: More homes built where people want to live. Better use of the housing we already have. Stronger support for renters and a better safety net.
 
Every time someone named a reform that’s in our platform, we ticked it off.
 
We’ve worked with experts, peak bodies and organisations to figure out how to make those changes actually happen. The result is a plan built alongside more than 18,000 Australians.
 
None of us are the Minister for Housing. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have the answers.
 
Read the full report and add your voice to the reforms that matter to you at amplifyaus.org/housing

On ABC Insiders this morning, Samantha Maiden shared findings from AMPLIFY’s first national survey following the Federal Budget.

The results show Australians remain sceptical with most less likely to trust the government. It also found voters are divided on whether the changes will make it easier to buy a home.

Australians aren’t yet sold on the budget but they are clear that they want bolder action on housing. Visit amplifyaus.org/housing to add your voice to the reforms that matter to you.

We hit the streets to find out what Australians really think of the Federal Budget.
 
The verdict? Most aren’t sure.
 
18,000 Australians have already told us what they want: a bold plan for housing that actually moves the needle. According to most, this Budget didn’t meet that moment.
 
Add your voice at amplifyaus.org/housing