Katie Joyner, planner in rezoning furore raised in parliament sold home two days before purchasing new property
A senior planner at the centre of a rezoning furore sold her home just two days before purchasing new house on a site set to be rezoned.
NSW
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Editor’s Note: On March 18 the ICAC announced that it had completed its investigation into a complaint levelled against Ms Joyner and found no wrongdoing. It said: “The Commission is satisfied there is no evidence that Ms Joyner or any other person engaged in corrupt conduct, and has accordingly determined to close its investigation.”
A bureaucrat accused of using inside planning information sold a home at Belmore days before buying a lavish house in Gordon in an area proposed to be rezoned under government-led housing reforms.
Property records show Katie Joyner, the Department of Planning’s director for the City of Sydney and Eastern District, sold a duplex home in Belmore for $1.49 million in August 2023.
Two days later she bought a five-bedroom home for $3.8m in Gordon, in a cul-de-sac less than 300 metres from Gordon train station.
Gordon is one of 31 sites in the NSW government’s landmark housing reforms package, which from April will allow greater height and density limits within 400 metres of specific stations.
Ms Joyner’s purchase of the Gordon property led to accusations in NSW Parliament last week by Wahroonga MP Alister Henskens, who claimed there was a “strong circumstantial case” she bought the home with private knowledge the area would be rezoned under the policy.
Mr Henskens alleged the rezoning would result in increasing land values. The housing policy was released to the public in early December.
Ms Joyner was stood down over the weekend.
The government yesterday refused to say when Ms Joyner last updated her property disclosure records, with a Planning Department spokesman saying it was “not appropriate to comment further” given ICAC had been notified.
The Daily Telegraph also revealed yesterday a draft letter destined for Planning Minister Paul Scully had been circulated supporting the rezoning of the area. The Telegraph has independently verified Katie Joyner was the author of the letter.
The letter also implored the minister to consider increasing heights around the station, up from the proposed six storeys. “Our assessment suggests that heights at 12-15 storeys should be the bare minimum to realise new dwellings at the doorstep of Gordon Station within a five-year period,” it read.
One of the listing agents of the Gordon property, Nahid Coventry of DiJones real estate, said agents were now fielding calls from developers eager to snap up properties in the development zones.
Premier Chris Minns said he didn’t know whether Ms Joyner had disclosed the purchase to her employers, but said she – like other senior government bureaucrats – was obliged to.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption will consider whether to launch a formal inquiry into the matter.
Ms Joyner was contacted for comment.
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