Minns cautious on bipartisan solution to housing problem ahead of rare meeting

They’re rare bipartisan talks to solve the NSW’s housing crisis, but Premier Chris Minns is treading carefully on whether he and Mark Speakman can reach an agreement.

NSW Premier Chris Minns is unsure if he can reach a bipartisan housing solution with Opposition Leader Mark Speakman as they prepare to sit down and fix the state’s broken planning laws.

The Daily Telegraph revealed the two party leaders will cross the political divide this week to convene a rare bipartisan meeting to tackle the state’s housing crisis, with fast-tracked suburban apartments on the agenda.

However, when asked on Tuesday if the meeting would produce any outcomes, Mr Minns said he “didn’t know” if the leaders could make progress.

“I don’t know whether we’ll get a big breakthrough or not, but I’m hopeful that we will, and we’re going in with a really open mind about what’s possible if there’s bipartisan reform when it comes to planning changes in NSW,” he said.

“What I’d love to have is a piece of legislation that could pass with bipartisan support. But to be frank, we’ve got a long way to go.”

Opposition Leader Mark Speakman wants “bipartisan reform” of broken planning system. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Among the policy options laid on the table include a suite of “radical” planning reforms put forward by former Liberal minister Brad Hazzard in 2013.

Labor blocked the reforms at the time due to concerns it took planning powers away from the community, after Mr Hazzard proposed councils must approve compliant developments in high-growth areas within 25 days — with no community appeal rights.

Mr Minns didn’t rule out resurrecting the decade-old ideas, but said the same issues remained more than ten years on.

“Things have moved since 2013 and there would be issues back then that are still an issue now,” he said.

“There’s a ream of things that are as important or even more important than what blocked in 2013, but probably the best thing I can do is … look to where we agree on change and then push it through the parliament.”

It comes after industry leaders said upfront costs making new developments commercially unviable should be at the centre of the discussion when Mr Minns meets with Mr Speakman.

RARE TALKS

As revealed by The Daily Telegraph last year, Mr Speakman proposed the meeting as a way to get bipartisan support for overhauling the state’s outdated and broken planning laws.

Chris Minns addresses the media in Ryde on Australia Day. Photo: Tom Parrish

In agreeing to the talks, Mr Minns has elevated fixing the planning system to a level usually reserved for state or national crises, where political debate is put aside in the interests of getting things done.

“This is a good-faith attempt at bipartisan reform of a planning system that’s too slow and complex,” Mr Speakman told the Telegraph on Monday.

“We don’t want to rule anything in or anything out.”

At the top of the agenda will be upfront costs for developers which, industry says, have made building new homes unviable.

“I think we’re open to discussing anything that is adding cost to the to the to construction,” Mr Speakman said.

Mr Speakman insisted yesterday that he will be putting forward specific proposals to fix the planning act, but declined to say what those ideas were.

“The fundamental problem we have is that it is too expensive to build,” Mr Farlow said.

“Anything we can do in terms of reform to make that process quicker, to make that process more reliable, is going to be beneficial to getting more homes built.”

Some of the main costs making developments unviable for builders are big upfront charges for enabling infrastructure like water and sewerage, and steep “biodiversity offsets” designed to minimise the impact new builds have on the environment.

Property Council of Australia NSW Executive Director Katie Stevenson said that both parties should examine any “impediments that are stopping financial feasibility” of new housing developments.

However, Ms Stevenson to warned both sides not to get bogged down in specific wording of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.

“Now is not the time to sit and talk about commas and clauses in a piece of legislation that’s stood the test of time,” Ms Stevenson said.

Planning Minister Paul Scully said the meeting is a “genuine opportunity” to improve the system. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“No one thinks (the Act) is perfect, but at the same time, we’ve got this mandate to deliver 377,000 homes. We’re getting further and further behind that goal,” she said.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has previously ruled out overhauling the scheme which slugs developers for a share of the cost to build enabling infrastructure.

However, Planning Minister Paul Scully yesterday said he will go into the meeting with an open mind.

“This meeting is a genuine opportunity to discuss a bipartisan approach to improving our planning system to build more homes and better communities.”

Originally published as Minns cautious on bipartisan solution to housing problem ahead of rare meeting