Latest News About Grattan Institute Parking Report

The Grattan Institute’s parking report is generating substantial media coverage in May 2026, with multiple outlets reporting that abolishing parking minimums could save billions and free up housing supply. Key takeaways in recent coverage include calls to remove parking minimum requirements for new housing, potential savings of around $5.2 billion and up to 86,000 fewer parking spaces over five years, and proposals for better on-street parking management and unbundling parking from rent or ownership. Below are the latest, cited highlights and where they appeared.

Latest coverage

• The Guardian (May 19, 2026): Reports that scrapping 86,000 new car parking spaces could save about $5.2 billion and reduce rents, noting that around 40% of parking spaces under apartments sit unused; advocates for removing minimum parking requirements and giving councils/ state governments more leeway to manage parking and unbundle parking costs from rent [Guardian: 1].
• ABC News Australia (May 19, 2026): Summarizes the Grattan Institute’s finding that Australia wastes over $1 billion annually on off-street parking, urging abolition of parking minimums in residential development and suggesting residential parking permits to manage on-street demand, with notable figures on cost impacts of parking requirements across major cities [ABC: 3].
• Grattan Institute media and related pieces (May 18–19, 2026): Grattan’s own releases and coverage echo the Wasted Space report theme, including suggestions to remove parking minimums, unbundle parking costs, and consider allowing parking rights to be bought or leased separately from property ownership [Grattan media: 2, 9].

What this means in practice

• Policy aim: Remove mandatory parking ratios in new housing to reduce construction costs and increase housing supply in urban areas [ABC: 3][Guardian: 1].
• Expected impact: Up to 86,000 fewer parking spaces and up to $5.2 billion in potential savings over five years; potential to unlock tens of thousands of new housing units in Sydney and Melbourne according to the Grattan analysis [ABC: 3][Guardian: 1].
• Implementation ideas: Shift toward on-street demand management (permits, time restrictions, fees), unbundle parking from rent, and allow parking rights to be traded separately from property ownership; consider state-level powers to curb local parking minimums in some jurisdictions [ABC: 3][Guardian: 1][Grattan media: 9].

Caveats and context

• Reactions vary: Some stakeholders and local councils resist reducing parking supply due to concerns about public reaction and perceived car dependence; the Grattan report argues the long-term housing and affordability benefits justify policy changes [Guardian: 1].
• Geographic focus: The most pronounced cost impacts are highlighted for Sydney and Melbourne, with extrapolated effects for other Australian cities, depending on local planning rules and demand [ABC: 3].

Would you like me to pull the full articles or excerpts from these sources, or summarize how various Australian states have responded so far? I can also provide a concise comparison table of the proposed policy changes and their expected effects. Citations: Guardian, ABC News Australia, Grattan Institute media releases, and Grattan report summary.[1][2][3][9]