The proposal of a new Federal Housing Minister is one of 37 recommendations in a new report released yesterday by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities.

‘Building Up and Moving Out’ takes a federal look at the future of our cities and the regions around them. The paper examines the way our cities operate and challenges we face for the future. That includes determining the solutions needed to ensure our cities and regions remain sustainable and liveable as well exploring the relationship between cities and regions.

Future focused initiatives also feature strongly in the report including smart cities, sustainable building practices and the growth of ‘smart cities’ which efficiently use the internet of things.

The report calls for better coordination and governance at a Federal level to ensure consistent outcomes in housing for Australians. There are a number of national initiatives recommended that are relevant to Victoria such as a national settlement strategy, freight movement, smart cities and urban planning governance.

The text of the full report can be found here.