Unlocking much-needed investment in housing is on the agenda at an investor roundtable hosted by Treasurer Jim Chalmers.
The first of the treasurer's roundtables with private sector representatives will focus on housing, and finding financing solutions to tackle Australia's affordable housing crisis.
Labor's national Housing Accord is designed to build a million new homes in five years from 2024, although Greens-commissioned Parliamentary Library analysis has found just two per cent of those homes would be affordable for low-income earners.
The attendees at Friday's event in Sydney include the big four banks' CEOs and the head of Australia's sovereign wealth fund, Raphael Arndt, while ACT chief minister Andrew Barr is representing the states and territories.
Dr Chalmers is keen to remove barriers stopping superannuation funds and major banks investing in housing.
He said the influential investors could help solve some of Australia's major issues.
"We've identified a number of areas where we think Australians can benefit most from more targeted, institutional investment in our national priorities including housing supply and affordability, the energy transition, manufacturing and the digital economy," he said.
"Starting with housing, we will work closer than ever before with leading investors, major banks, global asset managers and superannuation funds to promote stronger investment in these priority areas."
A new build-to-rent development in Westmead, Sydney, will likely set the precedent for future housing projects that leverage institutional capital.
To be delivered under a partnership between investment firm AXA IM Alts, community housing provider St George Community Housing (SGCH) and the federal government's National Housing and Finance Investment Corporation (NHFIC), the project will deliver 350 mixed tenure social and affordable dwellings.
SGCH chief executive officer Scott Langford said the project had been enabled by Labor's housing framework.
"It is consistent with what the government is asking NHFIC to do, which is bringing in institutional investment, and so that's been an important policy direction that's given NHFIC the confidence to enter into this arrangement," Mr Langford told AAP.
Dr Chalmers said partnerships between investors and government could bring returns for both shareholders and the nation.
The roundtables will continue next year with a look at digitalisation and sustainable energy.
