Both Major NSW Political Parties Are Destroying Opportunities For Young People To Live In Sydney

The NSW Government and the Labor opposition are using inflammatory language to stop the development of affordable housing for young families and couples in Sydney says the Urban Taskforce.

“Michael Daley, Shadow Minister for Planning, has come out attacking the NSW Government for its so-called ‘hated overdevelopment agenda’ and the NSW Government has backed down on plans for urban housing.” Says Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson “The reality is that Sydney needs around 725,000 new homes over the next 20 years because more people want to live and work in Sydney. The current government has responded to the growth figures by investing in public transport infrastructure and lifting new home completions to the numbers required at double the rate of the previous Labor Government but is now changing tack.”

“Because of the slow supply of new homes by the Labor Party, the cost of housing has rocketed in Sydney and the only way many young couples and families can find a house to own or rent is in an apartment. The provision of apartments around railway stations is sensible planning for housing future populations and the Labor party's emotive language is only insulting to those who live in apartments.”

“The 2016 census indicates that 30 percent of Sydney homes are now apartments and that 28 percent of these are occupied by families. At least half of these people are likely to vote Labor yet they are smeared with the negative implication that they live in ‘overdevelopment’. What are the Labor Party’s plans to help young families and couples into affordable homes? “

“The Urban Taskforce is concerned that the race to the bottom by both NSW political parties in the lead up to the election will tarnish the reputation of people living in apartments close to public transport. The negative connotation now surrounding new urban housing can only lead to approval bodies being unsupportive of new housing and therefore prices will escalate.”

“Politicians must remember that 30 percent of Sydney voters live in apartments yet the politicians are attacking these voters as living in overdevelopment and both the major parties seem keen to stop all development until after the state election in March 2019.”

“There are around 300,000 people working directly in the residential development sector and anti-development policies will have a big impact on the number of jobs in the industry in the years ahead.”

“The Urban Taskforce is concerned that the Shadow Planning Minister pays tribute to community groups who want to stop development but ignores the 30 percent of the Sydney community who live in apartments and all the younger couples and families wanting to live in these more affordable homes.”