The Australian Institute of Architects South Australia Chapter is calling on all parties contesting the 2026 South Australian State Election to ensure housing reform prioritises both supply and quality.
“With housing affordability at the centre of the election debate, it is critical that we deliver more homes — homes that work for communities, now and into the future,” said SA Chapter President Kirstie Coultas.
“Good design ensures new housing is liveable, energy-efficient and resilient to extreme heat. Poor design locks in higher costs for families and government for decades.”
The Institute supports planning reform that increases certainty and unlocks supply, while maintaining design integrity and long-term community benefit.
Architects are trained to consider performance over time — including accessibility, sustainability and urban integration — ensuring housing investment strengthens South Australia’s future.
South Australia can lead the nation in delivering safer, healthier, more equitable and more resilient housing. By uniting design leadership with targeted investment, planning reform, construction capability, climate adaptation and social housing expansion, the State can address structural challenges that have developed over decades.
Good housing underpins economic participation, health, wellbeing and community connection. South Australians deserve homes that are designed for the future, affordable to access, safe to live in, and built to withstand a changing climate.