Rosehill failure: Opposition threatens to bring out the ‘stick’ over NSW housing shortfall
The federal opposition’s new housing spokesman has launched a broadside at the NSW Government over the failed Rosehill housing development proposal.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The federal opposition’s new housing spokesman has launched a broadside at the NSW Government over the failed Rosehill housing development proposal, while saying the Coalition will consider embracing a “stick” approach against states which don’t successfully build enough homes.
Opposition housing spokesman Andrew Bragg spoke out as Australia risks missing out on Housing Accord targets set by the federal government, with Australian Bureau of Statistics data released this week showing a 5.7 per cent drop in the number of new dwelling approvals in April.
“NSW has no chance of meetings its 75,000 houses a year it’s supposed to build under the national Housing Accord – they’ll be lucky to get to 50,000 – Chris Minns has talked a big game here, but he hasn’t delivered,” Senator Bragg said.
“Chris Minns is becoming the minister for housing promises … He’s not the minister for housing delivery. Rosehill is embarrassing for their government – but the real question is what is their plan B?”
Australian Turf Club members rejected a plan to sell Rosehill Gardens Racecourse so the land could be transformed into a mini-city with 25,000 much needed homes.
Senator Bragg wouldn’t be drawn on whether the NSW Government should compulsorily acquire the land, but said the Coalition’s entire suite of housing policies would be up for review after their crushing election loss.
NSW housing Minister Rose Jackson fired back at the comments, saying: “The Liberal Party did everything possible to oppose, frustrate and slow down plans for housing at Rosehill and now they’re complaining that there won’t be housing at Rosehill? It’s ridiculous.
“The single biggest step the new shadow minister could take to deliver more homes is to tell the NSW Liberals – the party of NIMBYS – to stop trying to block new housing in NSW.
“If this is the way Senator Bragg and the freshly re-coupled Liberal National Coalition is going to speak about anyone with ambitious plans to build more housing across Australia, I hope they are making themselves comfortable on the opposition benches.”
Mr Bragg, meanwhile said his party’s review of housing policies would investigate incentives on offer for states if they hit their Housing Accord targets.
“We’ll look at the carrots and the sticks – there’s been lots of carrots – it’s clear no one is eating the carrots. We’ll have to look at all that as part of our review,” he said.
Quizzed on whether a failure to deliver housing could result in changes to the GST carve up to states, Mr Bragg said it was too soon for the Opposition to spell out new policies.
He signalled the Coalition could look at cutting parts of the National Construction Code, the convoluted guidelines dictating how housing is designed, calling the code a burden on the building industry
The Opposition took a policy to the federal election where any further changes to the constriction code would be frozen for 10 years.
Originally published as Rosehill failure: Opposition threatens to bring out the ‘stick’ over NSW housing shortfall
‘No brainer’: Is this Sydney site the solution to a housing crisis?
Past NSW governments have looked at selling a Sydney jail, but it has been stymied by bureaucratic resistance. Now Premier Chris Minns is being urged to replace it with 12,000 homes.
‘Too casual’ or ‘deliberate style’?: How work attire changed forever
Traditional office attire is out, now people are expressing their personal style and wearing what feels more authentically them, while still keeping it professional.