Sutherland Shire councillors heated debate over two housing reports

A Liberal southern Sydney councillor has taken public pot shots – including saying ‘my IQ drops every time I speak to you’ – at his opponent amid debate over major housing strategies.

Sutherland Shire councillors Diedree Steinwell and Kent Johns had a heated debate over two housing reports on at Monday’s council meeting. Picture: Sutherland Shire Council

A Liberal councillor has taken public pot shots at his Labor opponent amid two major housing strategies being further delayed.

Sutherland Shire councillor Kent Johns took a dig at Labor councillor Diedree Steinwell and told her “to be honest my IQ drops every time I speak to you” before Mayor Carmelo Pesce told the chamber it needed to “move on” and to “please stop” talking.

Cr Johns went on to say “how stupid can you be to say that is your argument” when debating whether to put a local housing strategy on public exhibition during the marathon council meeting on Monday that ended at 11pm.

There was heated debate between Cr Johns and Cr Steinwell over the draft Affordable Housing Contribution Scheme and draft Sutherland Shire Local Housing Strategy.

Liberal councillor Kent Johns. Picture: Sutherland Shire Council

The draft housing strategy has a six to 10-year housing target of 3800 dwellings.

The affordable housing contribution scheme limits contributions towards affordable rental housing to those sites that have increased development through a planning proposal.

Liberal councillors in June called for further reports which explored ways to deliver affordable rental housing.

However, council staff noted in the December council meeting report that an “affordable housing contributions scheme remains the only option which assures that affordable rental housing will be delivered”.

The reports – which would be made available for the public to submit feedback – are the first steps in adopting the strategies.

Labor councillor Diedree Steinwell. Picture: Sutherland Shire Council

Cr Steinwell wanted both reports to be put on public exhibition.

She noted the documents were only drafts and not “perfect” but she wanted residents to have the opportunity to have their say.

Cr Johns wanted more time to assess, review and edit the reports before they went out on public exhibition.

He said he wanted to wait until the state government made new planning documents in reference to the affordable housing contributions scheme.

Liberal councillor Hassan Awada said there were flaws in the contributions scheme document and if adopted in its current form it would “obstruct the delivery of affordable housing” because it was a compulsory scheme that was inequitable.