Premier Chris Minns details plans for housing, drug reform, Moore Park golf course and cost of living relief

WATCH Premier Chris Minns say there’s no going back on turning half of Moore Park golf course into parkland. He also conceded NSW is “no chance” of building 75,000 homes this year, and detailed drug reform plans.

A decision to cut in half Moore Park Golf Course and convert it to parkland is done and dusted and will not be reversed, NSW Premier Chris Minns says.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Daily Telegraph Mr Minns said the land at Moore Park was needed to support higher density housing in the city.

“If you’re going to have density close into the city, which is what we need to have, then you need to have open green space to cope with that change in demographic,” he said.

Mr Minns said the decision was driven by the popularity of open space at Barangaroo.

“If you look at the hit on family budgets over the last two years, the opportunity to spend time with your kids and your family close to the city CBD for free in open parkland is something that’s really precious for families,” he said.

A decision to cut Moore Park Golf Course, top left, in half and convert it to parkland won’t be reversed, Premier Chris Minns, right, says. The move was pushed by Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, bottom left.

Asked if there was any way Moore Park Golf Course could retain its 18 holes, Mr Minns said “no”.

“We’ve made the decision,” he said.

“It’s reasonable that when governments make a decision, at least there’s certainty off the back of the call,” he said.

Mr Minns said it would not be “realistic” to think that the course could be reworked to fit 18 holes in the remaining space.

MINNS ADMITS DEFEAT ON NSW HOUSING GOAL

Mr Minns conceded NSW will fall short of building 75,000 new homes this year, waving the white flag on meeting an ambitious 12-month target he agreed to in national cabinet.

In his first wide-ranging interview of 2024, Mr Minns insisted that his government’s changes to the planning system are speeding up housing supply, but said targets set out in a national housing accord would be impossible to meet this year.

The targets were imposed by the federal government and agreed to by states and territories.

Under the deal, NSW would get as much as $915 million in funding from the Commonwealth if it completes 75,000 homes each year between now and 2029.

“The 75,000 (new homes) target will be very difficult to meet in the short run,” Mr Minns told the Telegraph, saying that only about 48,000 homes were started in NSW in the 12 months to September.

Chris Minns conceded the target of 75,000 new homes would not be met. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Mr Minns’ concession that NSW will not be able to meet the new targets comes after warnings from developers and experts that the state had “no chance” of ramping up construction so quickly.

Mr Minns refused to put a number on how many new homes will be built this year, instead saying that his government will “build as many as we possibly can”.

Mr Minns dismissed the idea that falling short of this year’s target of 75,000 new homes would amount to a “failure”.

“I think that’s a cynical view,” he told the Telegraph.

“We’ve been clear from the very beginning that 75,000 (new homes) from almost a standing start would be difficult to accomplish in 12 months, but we want to see forward progress as in a major increase in the amount of development within NSW in a 12 month period,” he said.

But the Premier also refused to say by what year NSW would start hitting its agreed targets.

“I’m not going to put a day or a figure on it,” he said.

New plan: Beat Victoria. Mr Minns said the biggest state on the east coast, with the highest house prices should be doing the most building. Picture: Jenny Evans

Rather than try to meet previously-agreed targets, Mr Minns said his goal will be to beat Victoria in the amount of new homes built.

“I think it’s really important NSW is first on the east coast when it comes to completions, given where the biggest population given we’ve got the highest rents given we’ve got the highest median house prices,” he said.

ABS data released on Wednesday revealed that new housing commencements were going backwards. Commencements dropped by almost 36 per cent in the September quarter and 28.4% compared to the year before.

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman on Thursday criticised the premier for setting an unrealistic housing target.

“The premier announced his 75,000 a year target back in August with great fanfare, this was the biggest show in town, and five months later he’s trashed the target,” Mr Speakman told 2GB’s Ben Fordham.

“He’s admitted there’s no way he’s going to reach that target.

“He’s failed to consult local communities (and) local councils and indeed when he adopted that target he hadn’t even asked his own planning department whether it was ever achievable.”

Victoria is forecast to build about 54,000 new homes each year over the decade.

Delivering new houses close to major infrastructure hubs will be one of the Minns government’s biggest challenges of 2024.

The Premier plans to build on changes to the planning process, announced last month, to fast-track more duplexes and low-rise apartment blocks across Sydney.

Land around eight heavy rail and Metro stations is set to be rezoned for higher density housing by November, allowing development applications for new apartment blocks to be lodged by July 2025.

Mr Minns insisted that an increased focus on scrapping red tape is beginning to deliver results.

Councils have been told to take into account the housing crisis when considering new development applications in a bid to get more homes built.

The planning department has also been revisiting old planning proposals which had previously been refused in a bid to fast-track development.

In one example cited by the government on Wednesday, a domestic violence shelter and affordable housing project on the northern beaches has now had its development application approved after previously being knocked back.

Mr Minns said the slashing of red tape and changes to fast track duplexes meant the government was headed in the right direction. Picture: Getty Images

In February last year, a planning panel responsible forced the developer to jump over restrictive hurdles, including completing a report which considered possible “tsunami” impacts.

After being reassessed, the project has how been approved.

“I think you’ll see major changes to completions … but it’s going to take a bit of time,” Mr Minns said.

The goal of building more housing close to where people live and work is designed to ensure “young people and young families” stop fleeing across border to other, cheaper states, Mr Minns said.

“Sydney in particular is too expensive, housing for many people is non existent.”

Mr Minns declared young families will be his primary focus for 2024, in a bid to achieve “intergenerational equity”.

“Young people don’t have the assets, or the capital and they feel abandoned,” he said.

“So a lot of our focus for the year will be on easing the burden for those people, young people and young families in particular.”

That will involve a laser-like focus on economic issues hurting people’s hip pockets.

Mr Minns has vowed not to be distracted by “social” (or ‘woke’) issues while helping make life easier for families.

“Economic issues have to be the primary focus. Cost of living for families, households and young people will be core business,” he said.

FINES INSTEAD OF COURT FOR HARD DRUGS

People caught with small amounts of hard drugs including ice could be spared court and criminal convictions from the end of next month, Mr Minns says that’s not a green light to drug users.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that a major overhaul of the state’s drug laws will come into force from February 29, imposing a “two-strike” system allowing NSW Police officers to issue fines for low level drug possession instead of pursuing charges.

The changes were passed into law last year but until now the question of when they would come into effect remained a mystery.

From the end of next month, NSW Police will have the discretion to issue someone caught with small amounts of illicit drugs a $400 on-the-spot fine for up to two offences.

Those fines would be wiped if the user completes a “tailored drug and alcohol intervention” program.

Premier Chris Minns, in his office, at state parliament highlighted the need to tackle cost of living.

If the person does not undertake the intervention course, they will be pursued for the fine.

The new laws mean that, from February 29, NSW Police could give someone caught with less than one gram of ice an avoidable $400 Criminal Infringement Notice instead of pursuing charges.

Someone caught with less than one gram of cocaine would be eligible for the scheme, as would someone caught with up to 0.25g of MDMA, or 30 grams of cannabis.

Police will be left with discretion on whether to an avoidable fine or a court attendance notice.

Ice.

After two strikes, someone caught with small amounts of drugs would need to go to court.

The reforms echo a policy first announced by former Premier Dominic Perrottet which was never legislated before the election.

Premier Chris Minns said the new laws are designed to free up the courts to deal with “repeat or violent offenders, or those that are distributing drugs, or those that are selling it in our community”.

Mr Minns conceded that drug penalties will be weakened for some users from next month, but denied the changes amounted to decriminalisation.

“We believe that this would encourage more people that use illicit substances in New South Wales the opportunity to get treatment,” Mr Minns said.

Mr Minns recommitted to holding a promised “Drug Summit” this year, but downplayed the significance of the talkfest.

The Premier insisted his focus would be on “economic issues” not “social issues,” like drug reform.

“From time to time social issues will come up and we’ll deal with them,” he said.

“But I want people to know that my focus is on them, it’s on cost of living issues.”

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Originally published as Premier Chris Minns details plans for housing, drug reform, Moore Park golf course and cost of living relief