Katie Joyner, senior planner in rezoning furore, breaks silence denying parliamentary allegations

The planning boss at the centre of a controversy aired in ­parliament over the purchase of a property before it was subject to a rezoning proposal for higher density has made her first public statement to deny any allegation of impropriety.

Katie Joyner, the Department of Planning Director for the City of Sydney and Eastern District has broken her silence over the purchase of property in Gordon.

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.”

The public servant embroiled in a state parliament controversy has spoken publicly for the first time, categorically denying claims she used secret planning information for her own benefit.

Katie Joyner, the Department of Planning’s director for the City of Sydney and Eastern District, was stood down pending further investigations after Wahroonga MP Alister Henskens’s claims in parliament last week.

Mr Henskens used parliamentary privilege to allege an unnamed bureaucrat — later revealed by The Daily Telegraph to be Ms Joyner — purchased the Gordon home in an area that was set to be rezoned under Premier Chris Minns’ signature housing policy, which has placed an emphasis on greater density.

Mr Henskens claimed in parliament there was a “strong circumstantial case” to show Ms Joyner bought the property with inside knowledge of the potential rezoning.

The Daily Telegraph does not make the same assertion.

Katie Joyner, the Department of Planning Director for the City of Sydney and Eastern District. Photo: Supplied

Wahroonga MP Alister Henskens made the claims in state parliament. Picture: Simon Bullard

In a statement via a lawyer, Ms Joyner said she had always acted with “utmost propriety” in response to the allegations, which revolve around her purchase of the property in Gordon in August before plans to drastically upzone the site were publicly released.

“I categorically deny the accusations made against me under parliamentary privilege,” she said.

“I have at all times acted with the utmost propriety.

“I am seeking legal advice about what I consider to be defamatory statements made against me and published in The Daily Telegraph, and intend to exercise my full legal rights against those who have defamed me.

“I have retained Craig Higginbotham, a senior partner at Sydney based law firm, Teneo Corporate Lawyers, to represent me, together with Senior Counsel.

“As the matter has now been referred to the ICAC, it is inappropriate for me to make any further comment at this stage.”

A car pulls into the house purchased by Ms Joyner in Gordon. Picture: Tom Parrish

Mr Higginbotham added: “Katie Joyner has today categorically denied the allegations made Friday 9 February 2024 under parliamentary privilege by Mr Alister Henskens, SC MP which were subsequently published in The Daily Telegraph on 12 February 2024, and additionally named her as the person against whom these allegations have been made”.

Mr Henskens also alleged in parliament the bureaucrat offered to provide information to her neighbours about a landmark proposal to rezone residential land on Sydney’s north shore.

Ms Joyner and her partner bought a five-bedroom home near Gordon train station in August last year for $3.8m.

Ms Joyner’s house in Gordon. Picture: Tom Parrish

Four months later Gordon was announced by the Planning Department as one of the suburbs to be rezoned under the “Transport Oriented Development” program.

The Minns government’s landmark housing plan allows the land close to almost 40 railway stations to be rezoned, allowing for high-rise development and the construction of 180,000 new homes.

The Daily Telegraph also revealed on Monday 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.

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