Advancing workforce housing solutions for AUKUS and naval shipbuilding
The City's Economic Development team is progressing an innovative housing initiative designed to address one of the biggest challenges facing the Defence and defence industry sectors – attracting and retaining the skilled workforce needed to support the region's unprecedented growth.
Following months of development, the City recently hosted its second Incentivised Housing Workshop, bringing together key stakeholders from industry, construction, finance and government to explore practical solutions that will support workforce attraction in the lead-up to AUKUS and the expansion of continuous naval shipbuilding activities in Henderson.
With forecasts indicating that more than 10,000 additional workers will be required across the Defence and defence industry sectors over the next decade, ensuring access to affordable and accessible housing will be critical to maintaining project delivery capability and securing long-term economic growth.
The team has been leading the exploration of a low-cost, incentivised housing model designed specifically to meet the needs of Defence personnel and defence industry employees relocating to or working within the region. The proposed concept focuses on creating a de-risked delivery model that aligns the interests of industry, government, finance and construction partners while providing housing pathways for a growing workforce.
Participants at the workshop examined opportunities, challenges and potential delivery mechanisms that could contribute to the development of an innovative housing product capable of supporting a "generation workforce" as Henderson evolves into one of Australia's most significant naval shipbuilding and defence industry hubs.
Building the roadmap
The workshop marks an important milestone in the City's efforts to proactively address workforce accommodation challenges before they become a constraint on growth.
Having completed the initial concept development phase, the focus will now shift to developing a practical implementation roadmap and identifying pathways to delivery.
The goal is to create an incentivised housing solution that supports workforce attraction, strengthens industry capability and positions the City to maximise the economic opportunities presented by AUKUS and continuous naval shipbuilding.
By bringing together expertise from multiple sectors, the initiative demonstrates the collaborative approach required to support transformational growth and ensure the region is prepared to meet future workforce demands.
As the concept continues to evolve, the City looks forward to working with industry, construction, finance and government partners to turn the vision into a deliverable outcome that supports both economic development and long-term community prosperity.
For further information about the City's Economic Development initiatives, contact the
Economic Development team.