Our future prosperity, the liveability of our cities and towns, the health and wellbeing of our communities and the resilience of our built and natural environment all depend on how well we adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. The extreme effects of climate change on urban environments are well established. South Australia is becoming hotter and drier, and experiencing extreme events like heatwaves, bushfires and flooding, which are increasing in frequency and intensity.

Since the 1950s, hot days and heatwaves have become hotter and more frequent. Heavy rainfall events have also increased in frequency and intensity. Projections suggest temperatures will rise as much as 2.1 degrees Celsius above the long-term average by 2050.2 It is expected by 2030 there will be an additional 14 days above 40 degrees every year.3

In 2022, South Australia joined other jurisdictions around the world to declare a climate emergency, reaffirming the State's commitment to building science-based policies to prepare for the realities of climate change. And we signalled the State's commitment to act.4

The projected changes to our climate are described in the Guide to climate projections for risk assessment and planning in South Australia5.

A range of economic and policy factors drives housing affordability. The planning system can help meet future demand by making sure there is enough land for new houses, coupled with well-timed infrastructure, and flexibility in zoning and policies to allow for housing diversity.

Projections tell us we will need to plan for another 300,000 homes over 30 years. We also need to understand the housing needs and aspirations of our various communities, our changing demography, and changing market preferences over this period. Policy settings need to deliver greater choice across dwellings and locations, and diverse, adaptable dwellings that cater for changes within a household over time.

In the last decade, new housing products have emerged, including a new generation of multi-level apartments in urban corridors and larger urban infill sites. But the overall supply of new housing remains focussed on detached housing, reinforced by the introduction of the Federal Government's Home Builder Grant in 2020. Census data reveals that the ongoing trend for detached dwellings - typically with three or more bedrooms - does not necessarily match the needs of increasing numbers of smaller households. We need to encourage a broader range of dwelling types and dwelling sizes.

The Australian Housing Aspirations survey showed that while the preference for detached housing remains strong, many households across age cohorts and income groups want apartments or townhouses in wide-ranging locations.13 Extensive housing studies across Australia reveal similar findings. The Grattan Institute, Perth and Peel, and Auckland studies all concluded that there are too few semi-detached houses and apartments in their respective cities. Consistently, these studies show that housing preferences are primarily driven by: (i) convenience and access, (ii) the local environment, (iii) local amenities, (iv) proximity to facilities, (v) safety and security, and (vi) dwelling design and features. This makes housing choice across all locations an essential component of the GARP.

In October 2021, the Commission initiated the Future Living Code Amendment to facilitate greater choices for people who want to downsize and stay in the same area, or enter the market on a smaller footprint. The model proposes new co-housing forms and future living models in established areas. We need to explore other housing forms and models to provide greater choices across all our communities.