A former NSW Liberal minister has sensationally attacked his former party after trying to overturn Premier Chris Minns' signature housing policy in state parliament, saying the move would set a dangerous precedent for NSW planning law.
Opposition housing spokesman Scott Farlow introduced a bill in parliament on Wednesday that would see the Transport Oriented Development (TOD) scheme scrapped, saying Labor had failed to consult local communities who they would be ordered to accept apartment buildings in places without adequate infrastructure. .
Sydney's housing crisis has dominated state parliament this week.Credit: Brook Mitchell
Under the policy designed to tackle the state's chronic housing shortage, the development of six-storey apartment towers 400 meters from some train stations in Sydney was given the go-ahead last month, Wollongong and Newcastle in 18 suburbs. A further 19 development zones are expected to start in June next year. Farlow's bill could stop any or all 37 locations.
Former Penrith MP Stuart Ayres, who served as a Liberal minister for a decade but has since taken a job as chief executive of the Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW, a lobby group representing developers, said certainty about key policies was vital to the planning system. .
“NSW is in the midst of a housing supply and affordability crisis. MPs should put citizens first and work together to ensure there are more places for people to call home,” Ayres said in a statement.
“Not only does this legislation undermine the TOD program, it would set a dangerous precedent where key policies, critical to the functioning of the NSW planning system, could be abolished or changed on a whim.”
Minns earlier on Wednesday described the Coalition's attempt to thwart the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) as cynical and completely reckless.
“If this bill passes and removes the biggest change to zoning and housing in Sydney, what's the plan?” Minns said.
