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The ACT Government will increase the stamp duty concession threshold, invest in new affordable homes, and change planning laws to support supply.
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government has unveiled a range of measures aimed at boosting housing supply and accessibility, including an increase to the stamp duty concession threshold to above $1 million for all eligible purchasers.
Previously, the state threshold was $1 million (after being raised in the last budget and applied on 1 July 2024).
However, the government has announced it will now offer increased stamp duty concessions to eligible home buyers up to a purchase price of $1.02 million as of 1 July 2025.
Price thresholds will be indexed annually to the Canberra Consumer Price Index.
From 1 July 2025, the Government will also increase the price threshold for the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, the Pensioner Duty Concession Scheme and the Disability Duty Concession Scheme.
In 2025–26, eligible Canberrans looking to buy a new apartment, townhouse or a unit-titled property off-the-plan or in a suburban area (RZ1) for $1.02 million or less may be exempt from paying stamp duty.
The government said it hoped that reducing stamp duty would help to lower barriers to Canberrans “seeking to fulfil their goal of home ownership”.
Finance Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said reforms to stamp duty were part of the government’s broader approach to making housing more accessible.
“By expanding stamp duty concessions to more homebuyers, we’re making it easier for Canberrans to enter the market and find a home that suits their needs,” she said.
Boosting the housing supply pipeline
The ACT Budget also has a range of measures targeting supply.
The government has said it will invest more than $145 million to build new homes, supported through a range of policy initiatives and industry incentives. This will be done in partnership with the federal government and fulfil part of its commitments under the National Housing Accord (through which the ACT Government has committed to bringing online 30,000 new homes by 2030).
The Housing Supply and Land Release Program, released on Tuesday (23 June), details how government land release will help support nearly 26,000 homes over the next five years, built on leased land enabled by new planning reforms.
The new homes will be supported by direct investment to build social and affordable housing.
The Budget also includes plans to roll out $20 million in additional funding for the Affordable Housing Project Fund (which has the potential to deliver hundreds of new affordable rental homes managed by community housing providers), increasing the total to $100 million.
There is also ongoing investment in the Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program, with the budget outlining a commitment to deliver 85 new public housing dwellings through community housing providers under the Housing Australia Future Fund Facility (HAFFF).
The ACT Government also aims to make use of 17 new social housing townhouses acquired in Coombs under the Social Housing Accelerator.
Moreover, it will bring online 300 affordable build-to-rent homes (a housing model that offers housing for long-term rentals under single ownership, with quality common spaces and amenities for residents).
The budget also outlines plans for new housing and community facilities in “well-located areas”, particularly around town centres, local shops and public transport corridors.
It will also provide funding to support the Construction Productivity Agenda for the ACT of the new Planning Act, aimed at streamlining approvals and increasing clarity for developers and the community.
Supporting trades
At the same time, the ACT Government will increase apprenticeship subsidies for training in six key construction trades (including carpenters, plumbers, tilers, bricklaying and other critical construction trades) to 90 per cent.
It will provide $1.4 million over four years to expand and enhance the “Women in Construction – Try-a-Trade” program in ACT public schools. This investment will double the program’s reach to 10 public schools, giving more female students in Years 8–10 early exposure to the construction industry through both classroom learning and hands-on experience.
The investment in training for the construction industry will “shape the workforce Canberra needs to build more homes”, the government said.
The Budget also outlined plans to provide $250 cost-of-living payments to apprentices and trainees, including an extra $250 for first-year apprentices, building on the $10,000 payments available under the Commonwealth’s residential construction training incentive.
Chief minister Andrew Barr said housing remained a central investment priority as Canberra grows.
“Canberrans need homes where they want to live that are affordable, sustainable and well-designed.
“This budget brings together land release, planning reform, housing delivery and tax reform to meet the needs of a changing city and enable 30,000 new homes by 2030,” he said.
Treasurer Chris Steel added: “Housing is a key priority for our government in the budget. These targets will be achieved through budget investment to build more social and affordable homes, undertaking the next stages of planning reform, further land release and investment in supporting infrastructure.
“We will continue to progress missing middle housing reforms, as well as supporting more well-located homes close to transport, services and jobs,” Steel said.
“The investment in construction skills, trades and productivity will make a real difference to getting more quality homes built more quickly, boosting our economy and helping to reduce inequality.”
[Related: WA passes stamp duty legislation]
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