Latest News About Grattan Institute Parking Report

Here’s the latest on Grattan Institute’s parking report.

• The Grattan Institute released a report highlighted by multiple outlets around May 19–20, 2026, arguing that Australian planning rules mandating minimum off-street parking in new housing lead to substantial waste and higher housing costs. The coverage cites potential savings of around $5.2 billion and the removal of parking minimums could reduce the number of new parking spaces by tens of thousands over five years. These findings suggest significant implications for housing supply and urban form.[1][3]

• Key figures cited in the reporting: the analysis estimates up to 86,000 fewer parking spaces could be built in the next five years if parking minimums are scrapped, translating into substantial cost savings for developers and potential gains in housing affordability and supply. The report also notes that in major cities, a large share of parking spaces remain unused, with vacancy rates around 40% in some apartment blocks.[3][1]

• Policy recommendations from Grattan include: removing mandatory parking requirements statewide, allowing parking rights to be separated from ownership (so spots can be bought or leased independently), and enhancing on-street parking management through resident permits and targeted pricing. They also suggest unbundling parking from rents to reveal true parking costs to consumers.[7][1]

• Reception and coverage: mainstream outlets including ABC News and The Guardian summarized the Grattan findings, emphasizing the potential to free up housing capacity and reduce costs, while noting political and local-government dynamics that have historically resisted removing parking minimums.[1][3]

• Grattan Institute material and context: the institute’s own pages and press releases from May 18–19, 2026, frame the report as part of a broader set of “Wasted Space” recommendations aimed at rethinking parking mandates and their impact on housing supply and urban development.[6][7]

If you’d like, I can pull direct quotes from the articles, compare the cost estimates across cities, or summarize the planned policy changes and their potential effects on housing affordability. I can also check for any follow-up stories or government responses.