Published 29 Sep 2026
S5. Ep 17. Talking with Jonathan O'Brien about Housing, Zoning Reform and the YIMBY Movement in Australia
Housing debates can get noisy pretty quickly, but this conversation brings something particularly useful to the table, data.
Returning to The Building Talks Podcast for the second time is Jonathan O'Brien from YIMBY Melbourne. When Jonathan last joined the show a couple of years ago, we dug into Australia's housing crisis and the planning restrictions making it harder to build more homes in the places people actually want to live. A lot has happened since then, so this time we look at what has changed, what has not, and where the conversation is heading next.
We get into the Australian Zoning Atlas, produced by the YIMBY movement to examine planning restrictions across Australia's capital cities, and some of the findings that came out of it. Jonathan also shares his perspective on Melbourne's emerging townhouse opportunity, why housing has become so expensive in Brisbane, how Sydney and Perth are approaching the challenge, and why the problem is not always just complicated regulation, sometimes certain types of housing simply cannot be built in particular areas.
Takeaways:
- ✅What has changed since Jonathan's first appearance on the podcast
- ✅What the Australian Zoning Atlas reveals about our capital cities
- ✅Why planning and zoning matter to housing supply
- ✅Melbourne's emerging townhouse opportunity
- ✅What is contributing to Brisbane's housing challenge
- ✅How Sydney, Perth and other cities are responding
- ✅Why some housing types remain restricted in areas where people want to live
- ✅Using data to bring clarity to an often emotional housing debate
Chapters:
- 03:50 - How the YIMBY Movement Has Evolved Since the Last Episode
- 05:59 - Housing Bans Versus Planning Burdens
- 09:00 - What YIMBY Means and Why the Movement Exists
- 12:17 - What Has Changed in Melbourne's Planning System
- 16:47 - Why People Resist Development and Neighbourhood Change
- 24:01 - Comparing Housing Reform Across Australian Cities
- 27:30 - The Australian Zoning Atlas and What the Data Reveals
- 35:03 - Brisbane Housing Prices and the Impact of Planning Restrictions
- 40:36 - Housing Wealth, Planning Rules and the Freedom to Build
- 46:11 - Construction Costs, Development Feasibility and Why Projects Still Stall
- 52:32 - Planning Delays, VCAT and Melbourne's Townhouse Reforms
- 57:42 - Why Townhouses Could Become a Major Housing Solution
- 1:04:49 - Who Actually Participates in Community Consultation?
- 1:09:47 - Social Housing, the Future of YIMBY and Where Housing Reform Goes Next
Tune in for a fascinating, data-driven conversation about housing, planning and what needs to change if Australian cities are going to accommodate more homes.
Hope you enjoy the podcast!
#YIMBY #YIMBYMelbourne #AustralianHousing #HousingSupply #HousingAffordability #AustralianZoningAtlas #UrbanPlanning #PlanningReform #TownhouseDevelopment #PropertyDevelopment #MelbourneHousing #BrisbaneHousing #BuiltEnvironment #BuildingTalksPodcast
The Building Talks Podcast is brought to you by Building Environs Recruitment - providing recruitment solutions to the property, construction, and related industries, here in Melbourne and Southeast Queensland. For an overview of our service, visit:
www.buildingenvirons.com.au
Proud to partner with Housing All Australians (HAA) and The Building and Construction Foundation. Check out their websites and join the movement!
www.housingallaustralians.org.au
https://www.buildingandconstructionfoundation.org.au/
The views and information shared in this podcast are for general purposes only and do not constitute legal or professional advice. Neither the host nor guests are providing specific guidance. Please seek professional advice before taking any action based on the content of this podcast.
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