From burnout to better outcomes: New research makes a case for smarter PlanTech
Objective Corporation
Key Facts:- A survey of 123 planning professionals finds 93% believe poor planning systems risk planner burnout
- 54% of respondents agree AI will fundamentally reshape planning, 46% remain unconvinced
- Many planners are still working with disconnected systems not designed for modern development assessment
- AI presents a significant opportunity to streamline end-to-end development, assessment and approval processes
- Currently only 30% of NSW councils are meeting development application approval expectations set by the NSW Government Planning Department
- This research challenges the assumption that planning is the primary bottleneck in the housing crisis, with 93% of respondents instead citing construction costs, tax policy and infrastructure funding as key drivers
Sydney, 20 July, 2026 - New research from Objective Corporation has found that an overwhelming majority of planning professionals believe poor systems are putting them at risk of burnout, even as the industry remains split on whether artificial intelligence will fundamentally reshape their work.
The survey of 123 planning professionals was conducted ahead of the Planning Institute of Australia Summit in Canberra on 20 May. It found that 93 per cent of respondents agreed that poor planning systems risk planner burnout, a finding that points to mounting pressure on a workforce already navigating complex regulatory environments and growing community demand.
At the same time, opinions on AI's potential are more divided. Just over half of respondents (54 per cent) agreed that AI will transform planning as we know it, while 46 per cent were unconvinced.
Andrea Breen, Global VP Government Solutions at Objective Corporation, said the findings found that planners were pragmatic about where AI would impact the role.
"Planning is no different to any other industry experiencing digital transformation, and the opportunities are huge. The sector has become significantly more complex over the past decade, with pressure to manage volume, community expectations and legislative changes, yet many planners are still working with disconnected systems, templates and tools not designed for modern development assessment. There is a huge opportunity for AI to help streamline the end-to-end development, assessment and approval process.”
Currently just 30% of NSW council are meeting the ‘development application approval expectations’ set by the NSW Government Planning Department and are under pressure from government and residents to process applications in a timely and trusted manner.
“The role of PlanTech is to reduce that administrative burden, streamline workflows and allow planners to focus on what they do best. The survey data told us that there was a consensus on AI as a very valuable role to digitise and improve processes but about half of our respondents believed that AI wouldn’t fundamentally transform the nature of their work’.
The research also challenges a prevailing assumption in the housing debate. When asked whether planning is the bottleneck to the housing crisis, 93 per cent of planning professionals said no, pushing back strongly with only 8 of the 123 respondents agreed that planning was to blame. Respondents outlined a range of factors including construction costs, tax policy and infrastructure funding as being key drivers of the housing crisis.
About us:
About Objective Corporation
Objective Corporation (ASX: OCL) is an Australian software company that helps all levels of government, Defence and regulated organisations manage information, streamline processes, make informed decisions, and enable information sharing and collaboration across secure and sensitive environments.
For more than 30 years, Objective has partnered with customers across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and North America, supporting information governance, planning and building, regulatory operations, and secure information sharing and collaboration. Trusted by more than 500 public sector and regulated organisations worldwide, Objective helps customers improve productivity, strengthen governance, and deliver better services for the communities they serve.
Objective is certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 standards, and its solutions are IRAP-assessed for sensitive and protected information environments. Learn more at objective.com.au.
Contact details:
Cath Arnott, Innovation Advisory
+61 432 405 155