We design the world around one version of life. Then life changes.
The JHNA Insights is a podcast grounded in a human centric built environment, bringing people, place, property and progress into one conversation. Each episode draws on research, practice and lived experience to explore how we live, move, work and belong.
If the system has ever felt like it was not designed with you in mind, you are not imagining it.
Episode 2.12: How Civil Infrastructure Shapes the Pace of Housing Delivery with Nicholas Proud and Andrew Mihno
Planning approval doesn't necessarily mean a block of land is ready for housing. Missing roads, sewerage connections, power or funding can leave entire developments on hold, even when demand for new homes is high.
I am joined by Nicholas Proud (https://au.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-proud), Chief Executive Officer of the Civil Contractors Federation (CCF) National (https://www.civilcontractors.com/), and Andrew Mihno (https://au.linkedin.com/in/andrew-mihno-3ab1a96), Head of Policy and Government Relations at UDIA (https://udia.com.au/about/) National, to uncover the less visible barriers to delivering homes, who ultimately bears the expense, and what these decisions mean for affordability and everyday life.
Listen to discover:
How an estimated 600,000 potential homes have been held up by infrastructure shortfalls
The quick calculation at federal budget lock-ups that reveals the gap between population growth and housing supply
Can Queensland find enough skilled workers for the 2032 Olympic deadline and everyday homes at the same time?
The hidden infrastructure costs that can find their way into your house price or rent
How a new metro line can still leave nearby residents dependent on their cars
What makes overseas investors choose to “build a shed rather than a bed”
The discussion also revisits a long-held assumption about development, considering whether homes must always come after infrastructure or whether reversing that order could sometimes make sense.
#EnablingInfrastructure #HousingSupply #HousingDelivery #CivilConstruction #InfrastructureFunding #BuildToRent #HousingAffordability #HousingAccessibility #UrbanDevelopment
12 Oct 2026
Episode 2.11 The Gap Between Passing Certification and a Building That Holds Up with Craig MacDonald (FRICS)
A building can pass inspection, receive its certificate and still develop serious defects, as Sydney's Opal Tower and Mascot Towers have shown. What happens when the warning signs are missed and the home you planned to age in becomes a financial burden?
In this episode, I am joined by Craig MacDonald (https://au.linkedin.com/in/craigjlm), Director – Building Consulting at Beyond Condition (https://beyondcondition.com/) and author of The Building Detective (https://thebuildingdetective.com/). Craig approaches buildings much like a doctor approaches a patient, helping us understand what building defects mean for housing affordability, accessibility and ageing in place.
Listen to discover:
Why some building surveyors don't certify buildings, and why you might need one before buying a home
What happens when an inspection recommends opening up a wall to investigate a suspected defect
Why a $50,000 defect could be a deal-breaker for one buyer and a bargaining chip for another
What uneven ceiling edges and roof tiles that don't sit straight can reveal about a building's condition
Why managing a strata building might require something like a driver's licence
Craig also compares two Scottish bridges, one still carrying trains after more than a century and the other replaced as the main road crossing, revealing which one he thinks Australian buildings most resemble.
#BuildingDefects #BuildingCertification #LatentDefects #BuildingInspection #StrataManagement #HousingAffordability #AgeingInPlace
23 Sept 2026
Episode 2.10: Why Can't Anyone Build the Housing We Actually Need? with Simon Croft
Australia has promised 1.2 million new homes by 2029. Hitting that number depends on far more than building faster.
In this episode, I am joined by Simon Croft (https://au.linkedin.com/in/simon-croft-aa0294184), Chief Executive - Industry & Policy at the Housing Industry Association (https://hia.com.au/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=15007343177&gbraid=0AAAAADvDtwCDCm89BQencmnBKFbAdlASa&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIube28fSAlwMVswZ7Bx3hjipYEAAYASAAEgLmS_D_BwE), for an inside look at what is holding back housing supply in Australia, and whether we are building the kinds of homes people actually need.
Listen to discover:
Why land prices jumped more than 500% in 25 years, while construction costs rose around 150%
Why planning rules that have barely changed in two centuries can limit the housing our cities can deliver
Whether pattern book housing can be fast, affordable and well built without lowering standards
Why the fight over an 80-page National Construction Code misses the bigger problem
The one change Simon would make to how Australia plans and builds housing
Simon has spent more than twenty-five years across construction, training, building regulation and housing policy, so tune in to hear why he still describes the system as a "hamster wheel."
#HousingSupply #HousingAffordability #HousingIndustryAssociation #ConstructionCosts #NationalConstructionCode #GrannyFlats
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