<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australia is frittering away $1 billion every year by building unnecessary </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/parking" rel="" target="_blank" title="carparks"><span>carparks</span></a><span> that homeowners and renters don't actually want or need, according to a new report.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Local and state law mandates off-street parking for newly-built apartments and townhouses in most Australian capital cities – and it comes at an eye-watering cost.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/wasted-space-axe-car-parking-rules-to-ease-the-housing-crisis/#waypoint=acknowledgements" rel="" target="_blank" title="Researchers from the Grattan Institute"><span>Researchers from the Grattan Institute</span></a><span> have called for an urgent law change to abolish these minimum-parking requirements, which could save $5.2 billion in construction costs by 2031.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>NATIONAL:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australian-watchdog-takes-action-against-viral-ai-nudify-site/2f754c13-fe4c-424a-8634-3e45bfcaee34" target="_blank"><strong><span>Australian watchdog takes action against viral AI 'nudify' site</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/canley-heights-shooting-at-least-one-dead-four-seriously-injured/7be74194-cf0c-4b0a-8191-b094e0cc0320" target="_blank"><strong><span>One dead, four wounded in shooting at Sydney home</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The report, aptly titled "Wasted Space", claims developers could afford to build around 9000 extra homes over five years with this saving.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Meeting the current standards is forcing homebuyers to pay tens of thousands more in an already severe housing crisis.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/wasted-carparks-one-billion-dollar-problem-grattan-institute/74a9ed96-e5be-43a7-82c5-70cc6719f7fa" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It can blow out the construction budget for a new two-bedroom apartment by an average of $70,000 in Sydney, by $137,000 in Perth, $113,000 in Brisbane, $62,000 in Melbourne and $95,000 in Adelaide, according to the report.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For three-bedroom units, this cost exceeds $100,000 in most capital cities.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Grattan researchers found that a large chunk of people living in apartments don't need parking.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>CRIME:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/phone-brag-got-youngest-australian-murderer-rearrested/20acc571-81b6-43e1-812e-ecd31c0e2373" target="_blank"><strong><span>Phone boast got Australia's youngest murderer re-arrested</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Around 40 per cent of those living in studio or one-bedroom apartments don't own a car, while 19 per cent of households in two-bedroom apartments don't have a vehicle.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In Sydney and Melbourne, there are more car spaces in apartment buildings than cars.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As much as 40 per cent of these spaces sit vacant each night, the report found.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The experts at Grattan say reducing or scrapping the legal requirements would lower the price of new homes and drive down rent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They suggested that developers "unbundle" car spaces so that renters or buyers can opt out of using them.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The report also recommended that state and local governments better manage on-street parking, including more permit schemes, time limits and user charging in high-demand areas.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/diphtheria-outbreak-in-nt-spreads-to-wa-queensland-south-australia/a3bf7fdf-1831-4ad4-a03a-994fb923e543" target="_blank"><strong><span>Urgent vaccine warning amid 'biggest outbreak in decades' of rare disease</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some councils have already abolished minimum car-parking requirements.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Brisbane City Council relaxed the rules for inner-city developments in March 2025 and several Sydney councils, such as the City of Sydney, City of Parramatta and the Inner West, have introduced maximum parking requirements.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And last year, the Victorian government axed minimum requirements for areas that are a short walk from public transport.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If every council and state government does the same, the report notes, Australian cities will have "livelier streets, more productive economies, and a higher quality of life".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here 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