Labor lacks vision with lazy housing announcement
Labor leader Chris Minns has shown he still lacks any real vision for NSW, today outlining a housing and infrastructure policy based on policies already being implemented by the Perrottet Government.
Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport Rob Stokes said the Labor Leader’s announcement is full of sweeping statements and light on detail.
“Labor has spent much of this year dismissing our Government’s plans to redevelop land around train stations for affordable housing, yet now it’s the centrepiece of their housing policy for Sydney,” Mr Stokes said.
“Labor’s target of 30 per cent affordable and diverse housing on land around train stations is something the Perrottet Government is already doing.
“Not only are we delivering affordable housing, but we are delivering the biggest infrastructure pipeline in the state’s history, including record investment in Western Sydney to and set our city up for the future.
“We are on the cusp of completing the largest road project ever in Australia – WestConnex - a project vehemently opposed by Labor yet is already benefitting commuters in Western Sydney.
“We’re also delivering Sydney Metro West, Western Sydney Airport Metro, Parramatta Light Rail and WestConnex – projects that didn’t and wouldn’t happen under Labor due to their ideological opposition to asset recycling.”
Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said Labor is playing partisan politics with housing targets, weaponising development as a punishment for communities that don’t vote for them.
“Labor’s idea completely ignores independent expert advice from the Greater Cities Commission and has little regard for existing densities, infrastructure capacity, environmental and social impacts, or development feasibility,” Mr Roberts said.
“Labor needs to get its facts straight. Only 6 percent of housing in Blacktown is high density while in Woollahra it’s 48 per cent. The Sydney average is 27 percent.
“Western Sydney is one of the fastest growing regions in our country, which is why our Government is investing billions of dollars in the housing, transport and infrastructure connections it needs for its people to thrive.
“Our investment in social housing has also delivered a 10 percent boost in new homes over the past 10 years, with social housing supply in NSW four percent higher than the national average.
“While Labor continues to throw stones at the Government in lieu of any real policies, our Liberal National Government is getting on with the job and delivering more social and affordable housing for our state’s most vulnerable.”
The facts on housing and infrastructure:
- The Liberal National Government is building 6,700 new homes at Crows Nest and has just approved thousands of new homes and three hectares of open space at Bella Vista and Kellyville along the Sydney Metro line.
- The Liberal National Government has already committed to 30 per cent affordable and diverse housing in the Eastern Harbour City at urban renewal projects near Central Station, Redfern Station and Rozelle Bay.
- The Liberal National Government has already endorsed a Greater Cities Commission recommendation for 30 per cent social and affordable housing on Government-owned land.
- The Liberal National Government has given the green light for an extra 70,000 new homes across Sydney, contributing $74 million this year to the Rezoning Pathways Program.
- The Liberal National Government contributed $174 million to deliver key worker housing across NSW.
- The Liberal National Government manages almost 160,000 social housing properties in NSW, more than double than Victoria and Queensland combined.
- The Liberal National Government has delivered half a billion dollars in accelerated infrastructure across NSW that enables homes to be built and communities to expand.
Related Articles: #Infrastructure
