Housing help for our heroes: Cops, nurses and teachers offered cheaper homes

EXCLUSIVE: Workers in our most important professions will be offered cheaper homes in new housing developments, under a groundbreaking state and federal government plan.

Workers in ‘hero’ positions will be offered cheaper homes by the government.

WORKERS in our most important professions will be offered cheaper homes in new housing developments, under a groundbreaking state and federal government plan.

As part of a push to address the soaring cost of property in Sydney, key workers such as teachers, nurses and police officers will be given the chance to get their hands on premium properties at a knockdown price.

Under the innovative plan, developers would be allowed to increase the floor space or height of new developments in exchange for providing a percentage of lower-priced housing to these key workers.

The Saturday Telegraph can reveal serious discussions are taking place at both a federal and NSW government level about how to ensure critical service workers can afford to live in Sydney.

Police officers are one of the professions to be offered discounted homes in Sydney.

At the federal government level, Treasurer Scott Morrison, Assistant Minister for Cities Angus Taylor, Assistant Minister to the Treasurer Michael Sukkar and Social Services Minister Christian Porter have been developing the idea to improve housing affordability with a package to be included in the May Budget.

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The ministers have been examining a concept called “inclusionary zoning”, which is based on a UK scheme that helps ensure key workers can afford to live in central London.

Mr Morrison would not comment on the package ahead of the May Budget but has said there needed to be affordable housing for “key workers”.

“Funding needs to be put to work to ensure that there are more houses in this country — whether it’s for people who are key workers or people who are on very low incomes or people who need affordable rents, not just social housing — that’s what it needs to do,” he said.

Asked about the “inclusive zoning” plan, NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts confirmed it was being examined with former Reserve Bank governor Glen Stevens, who is advising the government on housing policy.

“We can, and will, be looking at more innovative solutions as we knuckle down with the Commonwealth to get more solutions to the housing crisis into effect. But we’re certainly looking at new ideas,” Mr Roberts said.

The policy is about making sure critical services workers have access to affordable housing near where they work. Government sources told The Saturday Telegraph the focus is on the Sydney metropolitan area where teachers and nurses, in particular, are being priced out of the market.