With reports today that the Minns Labor Government are going back to the drawing board on their signature planning policy, Shadow Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Scott Farlow, has called on the Government to get their policies right before announcing them if they are to have any hope of delivering 314,000 homes over the next five years.
“This is another embarrassing policy failure from a Government that is more interested in headlines, one-liners and social media tiles than getting policy right,” Mr Farlow said.
“The Government claimed their policy would accelerate housing delivery, yet the real outcome of their lack of detail has been to slow supply coming to the market as industry sits on their hands waiting for the detail.”
” Once again it would appear that there has been insufficient engagement with industry and stakeholders, Sydney’s housing issues require more than rushed Media Releases, and the Government needs to engage in good faith if they are to have any chance of delivering 314,000 homes over the next five years.”
“While the Government talks about delivering more homes, we’ve seen Development Applications drop across the board and they have introduced new taxes and costs that are acting as a further barrier to building new homes.”
“When the Government rushed this announcement, the Opposition expressed concerns that they had not engaged with industry, stakeholders or local government and the reality is that by failing to do so their signature policy is now slowing the delivery of new homes.”
“While the Premier has declared that Sydney has to ‘go up’, it is extraordinary that he has exempted the City of Sydney Council, serviced by extensive existing infrastructure, from his policy that would deliver additional height and density.”
“Councils across Sydney are scratching their heads at why the City of Sydney is exempt. The Government need to explain why they’re exempt from this policy and what criteria it was assessed against.”
“If the City of Sydney can be exempt from the Premier’s policy are there other councils that can gain exemption, and if so, what’s the process for them to do it?”
“If the Premier is serious about delivering 314,000 new homes over the next five years, it will take more than rushed media releases and social media tiles,” Mr Farlow said.
