A roundtable hosted by Suncorp has canvassed action needed to stop housing supply increases putting more people at risk of natural disasters.

Attendees in Canberra today included Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino, NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully and local government, reconstruction authority, banking and property sector representatives.

“For too long, the housing and resilience sectors have operated in isolation, leading to too many homes being built in high-risk areas susceptible to flood, fire and cyclone,” Suncorp CEO Steve Johnston said.

“Working together, we can drive change and ensure we’re not only creating more housing but that these homes are safe for generations to come.”

Suncorp has released a public policy paper titled Affordable and Resilient Private Housing Supply – Can We Build New Homes Without Putting More Australians at Greater Risk of Natural Disasters?

Mr Johnston says the paper discusses the risk of developments expanding into high-risk areas such as city fringes and regional centres.

“While these greenfield areas often offer lower upfront costs for developers, they present a significant and growing risk to homeowners and communities,” he said. 

“Without proper thought and discussion, we will only see a deepening of inequality, push more people into financial hardship, and widen the divide for our most vulnerable community members.”

The paper says regular talks involving government and relevant sectors could be a first step towards mapping out public policy.

The federal government has set up the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council to consult on policy issues, and the Hazards Insurance Partnership focuses on natural peril resilience and insurance affordability.

“This could be the starting point for thinking about how we can set up a forum for a discussion between these groups,” the paper says.

Suncorp says a shared understanding of hazard risk and future development is needed, building on work including the Insurance Council of Australia’s 2025 flood defences report.

A government body such as the Productivity Commission or the Climate Change Authority could report on the life cycle costs of housing developments in high-risk zones, and how those costs are distributed across different cohorts, the paper says.

The paper notes solutions could include banning new developments in high-risk zones, recognising risk reduction activities in premiums, resilience loans for home upgrades, and providing prospective developers and homeowners with risk exposure information.