Should Victoria’s public housing towers be demolished or retrofit?

Should Victoria’s public housing towers be demolished or retrofit?

A parliamentary inquiry is scrutinising the Victorian government’s plan to demolish and rebuild 44 public housing towers. The housing minister has argued residents deserve more than “band-aids on 1960s concrete” – but is retrofit a legitimate option? An RMIT expert explains.

Associate Professor Trivess Moore, School of Property, Construction and Project Management

“By announcing a blanket approach to knock down and rebuild all the towers, the government may be missing opportunities to deliver better housing outcomes – and should provide more evidence to support its decision making.

“Given the current challenges Victoria faces around housing demand, environmental impact and a constrained government budget, retrofitting the existing towers may be a better option.

“Retrofitting the towers could improve liveability and affordability for tenants but also reduce the embodied carbon impact and at the same time maintain the existing community.

“There are plenty of successful local and international retrofit examples of how it can be delivered cost effectively for higher density housing. There are even examples where residents don’t need to move out, which can reduce the impact for those living in the towers.

“Retrofit might not be suitable for each public housing tower, but there should be a requirement to look at it case-by-case to assess the best financial, social and environmental outcomes.”

Trivess Moore is a senior lecturer at RMIT University. He is an expert in sustainable housing and precincts. He recently co-authored a review of public housing renewal in Victoria.

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General media enquiries: RMIT External Affairs and Media, 0439 704 077 or news@rmit.edu.au

01 July 2025

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01 July 2025

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