b'APRIL 2025CASE STUDY 5 -WHAT IS DIFFERENT IN VICTORIA?More housing where people want to live: Victoria has historically opened up its inner cities to high density living. According to the 2021 Census, Sydneys inner city and south had 100,334 flats or apartments in 2021, compared to 160,187 in inner Melbourne. The Victorian Government has released 60 Transport Oriented Development locations (all close to the heart of Melbourne) for fast-tracked high-rise development. Sydney has about half that number.Greenfield land releaseMelbourne does not have the physical constraints of Sydneyand a steady stream of greenfield housing ensures more supply to respond to demand, more choice and a downward pressure of prices. While they too are struggling to keep up with infrastructure costs and demands, they nonetheless are creating new rings of suburbs on Melbournes outskirts and are succeeding at keeping prices lower than is the case in Sydney.More stock - In July 2024, total listings in Melbourne were the highest since November 2018 and 24% above the prior five-year average for total listings.Victorias Apartment Design Guidelines are genuinely guidelines and avoid the prescriptive measures embedded in the NSW equivalent. They reflect positive suggestions rather than a mandated code. The impact of fees, taxes and charges is significantly lighter in Victoria, as illustrated in Charts 7 and 8.22'