Former Liberal Minister Stuart Ayres slams move to derail Minns housing reforms

Former Liberal minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres has criticised his own party for a last-minute attempt to wipe out the Minns government’s housing reforms.

A former Liberal minister has lambasted his own party for a last-minute bid to abolish the Minns government’s housing reforms, which could see up to 170,000 homes built around train stations.

Urban Development Institute of Australia chief executive Stuart Ayres called the Coalition’s proposed legislation “dangerous” and urged the NSW parliament to vote against it.

The move comes after opposition planning spokesman Scott Farlow introduced a bill on Wednesday to abolish Transport Orientated Development (TOD) scheme locations, which would up-end the government’s housing reforms if successful. The Opposition has claimed the new planning reforms had been “imposed” on communities “without consultation”.

Urban Development Institute of Australia chief executive Stuart Ayres called the Coalition’s proposed legislation “dangerous”. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Mr Ayres, a former Coalition Western Sydney minister, said instead of scaling back the TOD program, the opposition should be supporting ways to expand it.

“Not only would this (the Coalition’s) legislation undermine the TOD program, but it would set a dangerous precedent where key policies, critical to the operation of the NSW planning system could be abolished or amended on a whim,” he said.

“Parliamentarians should be putting citizens first and working together to ensure there are more places for people to call home.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the opposition’s bill was the “height of recklessness”. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Premier Chris Minns also attacked the opposition, saying their bill to abolish the TOD locations offered no alternative proposals to tackle NSW’s housing crisis.

“If that bill passes and it knocks over the single largest change to zoning and housing for Sydney, what’s the plan?” he said.

“I just think this is the height of recklessness from the NSW opposition.”

Opposition planning spokesperson Scott Farlow said the bill was introduced because of the lack of consultation with councils over housing reform. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

Under the government’s current scheme, which came into practice on May 30, land within 400m of 37 selected Metro and heavy rail stations will be rezoned to allow for buildings up to six stories high.

The Premier argued that consultation with councils had taken place, with the government striking an agreement with 11 of the 12 effected councils. Only Ku-ring-gai Council is currently fighting against the planning reforms, launching legal action against the state government.

“To smash up all of the architecture, all of the certainty that Sydney needs to grow for one council in one of their own seats … this is NIMBYism to a new level, it’s something we’ve never seen before,” Mr Minns said.

Mr Farlow reiterated the opposition’s belief a lack of consultation with councils had occurred as he tabled the bill in parliament on Wednesday.

“Councils should be given the opportunity to design how they meet those targets, with sanctions if they refuse to do so,” he said.

“Councils must be given the opportunity to design how they accommodate increased density in their local communities.

Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Message 0481 056 618 or email [e-mail]