The Opposition Spokesperson for Planning has tried to pass off a flawed examination of the NSW
Government’s Low and Mid-Rise planning reforms as ‘analysis’, conveniently leaving out one-in-five
locations.
The Low and Mid-Rise reforms, introduced last week, address the “missing middle” by allowing
terraces, townhouse and mid-rise apartments within 800m of 171 stations across Sydney, the
Hunter, Central Coast, the Illawarra and Shoalhaven filling the supply gap between high-rise and
single dwellings - a planning solution the Opposition were unable to deliver for twelve years when
they were in Government.
The Opposition Spokesperson has claimed that the regional Low and Mid-Rise sites should not be
considered in the total number of sites, defying both logic and explanation.
The majority of Low and Mid-Rise changes are in Labor electorates. Of the top 12 councils taking the
largest amount of new housing set through council targets, 10 are council areas represented
predominantly by Labor electorates.
This follows the NSW Opposition also moving a bill in parliament last year to abolish the Transport
Oriented Development program, a program that also delivered housing in a majority of Labor
electorates.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:
“I represent a large regional city called Wollongong. While the Opposition don't seem to have heard
of it, it is host to three Low and Mid-Rise sites, that is contributing to solving the housing challenge.
“It is particularly insulting to have the Opposition continue to ignore regional centres like they did in
government.
“I think the Opposition Spokesperson needs to buy a map of NSW and a calculator.
“Passing off this sort of rubbish as analysis says everything you need to know about the attitude of
the NSW Liberals.
“I would encourage the Opposition Spokesperson to step outside of his Sydney bubble, stop
obsessively worrying about the North Shore and speak to people living in regional NSW, struggling
to buy a house.
“As the Shadow Minister for cities, you’d think he’d know there’s more than one city in NSW.”
Support for the LMR program from stakeholders:
Property Council NSW Executive Director, Katie Stevenson:
“These long-awaited reforms bring certainty and confidence to support the industry to deliver more housing, improve affordability, and provide greater choice for homebuyers and renters.”
Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW CEO, Stuart Ayres:
“Today’s announcement is welcome and long overdue. UDIA has consistently advocated to increase availability of medium density housing options in locations close to existing services and transport to help tackle a worsening housing supply crisis.”
