Housing crisis a top priority for new BDO team
Housing crisis a top priority for new BDO team
The newly established Project & Infrastructure Advisory team from BDO Australia’s Perth office has been working alongside government and private sector players to help ease Western Australia’s housing affordability crisis high on its list of priorities.
The team, led by newly appointed partner John Burger, will provide a range of infrastructure advisory services to government and clients of BDO.
Mr Burger said it’s a timely opportunity to provide much needed services for the state.
“The housing crisis and lack of supply of new housing continues to dominate headlines. Over 1,000 new people are migrating into WA each week and almost 70 per cent of all migrants will elect or need to rent in their first year,” Mr Burger said.
“This means the pressure on housing affordability will continue to intensify into the medium term, placing additional pressure on our economy, particularly if we don’t have adequate housing infrastructure and choice. As such, demand for new housing will remain high.”
Mr Burger said given the demand, some developers have been looking at where or how they can pivot existing projects.
“This has led some developers down the avenue of social and affordable housing, where state and federal governments are now subsidising projects to help increase housing supply.
“That’s why it’s such an opportune time for BDO to establish its Perth Project & Infrastructure Advisory team, which will provide a wide range of infrastructure advisory services to government, among other clients.”
“Government intervention particularly in housing markets can be contentious; however, helping clients clearly demonstrate, what and why support is need will often result in more transparent and defensible decision making”
BDO’s services will include business case, feasibility and financial modelling, options analysis, and commercial and financial advice for infrastructure projects.
The Perth offering bolsters BDO’s already established national Project & Infrastructure Advisory team on the east coast, which already boasts over 120 dedicated people.
The national team is already working with both state and federal governments on a number of infrastructure projects around Australia.
However, Mr Burger said the Perth team were uniquely positioned to service the state.
“A critical consideration for establishing a dedicated team in Perth, particularly to service WA Government was to have individuals that already have a deep understanding of the Perth market.
“Whilst it is important, we leverage the wider infrastructure knowledge and our experience from other States, the approach to WA Government should be Perth-centric and WA solutions focussed – not just a copycat response,” Mr Burger said.
For media enquiries
Tate Papworth
Manager, Media
E: tate.papworth@bdo.com.au
Ph: 0433 411 189