Today’s announcement of a discussion paper to have a plan for the Six Cities Region is simply an attempt by the Perrottet Government to distract from the fact that it has failed to deliver on its previous plans for Sydney.
Sydney is covered with half done projects, billion-dollar budget blow-outs on major infrastructure, and other announced projects that are being scrapped.
Over the last 12 years house prices in Sydney have more than doubled – as the Government consistently fails to achieve its annual housing supply targets.
An examination of housing completions in Sydney show that since the release of the Greater Sydney Regional Plan 2036, Sydney has only met or exceeded its annual housing requirement twice.
NSW Labor does not want to see future plans for the Six Cities region entrenching the divide across Sydney. Under 12 years of the NSW Liberals and Nationals, Sydney already has lop-sided infrastructure investment and a two-city divide was writ large during the COVID lockdown.
To house a growing population, to provide diversity of housing and transport, health and education infrastructure that the Six Cities Region needs is going to take more effort than a Government that can only produce another discussion paper for which comments close after the next election.
Shadow Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully, said:
“What we have today is a tired Government announcing yet another plan to have a plan.
“The Perrottet Government is becoming like a broken record and releasing glossy discussion papers.
“NSW Labor proposed sensible amendments to the Greater Cities Commission Bill when it came before the Parliament because we believed that the Commission could give importance to strategic planning and help coordinate planning across the Six Cities Region.
“Improving the global competitiveness and local liveability of Sydney should start with finishing half done projects on time and on budget.
“When faced with a housing shortage, taxpayers rightly expect the Government’s focus to be on removing duplication, red tape and infrastructure impediments that are delaying new home completions to take the pressure off the housing market – not more discussion papers.
PAUL SCULLY MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR PLANNING AND PUBLIC SPACES
