Looking After Your Own Backyard
Whilst ambitious housing targets by the NSW Minns Labor Government have committed to delivering 377,000 homes across New South Wales by 2029, their first milestone to reach a target of 75,000 new homes in 2024, has failed miserably.
It comes as no surprise that NSW is in desperate need of housing to offer the safety, security and support that individuals and families deserve, particularly with the cost-of-living crisis looming over our heads.
As well intended as the Government might be, the new planning laws are housing targets without a plan. Targets don’t mean anything unless they are financially and logically feasible to build. This Government is crippling financial feasibility with its taxes and charges.
We need to ramp up housing supply with a credible housing plan, not one that doesn’t consult with local councils to tap in on the experience they have in providing well considered open space, adequate parking, sustainable and sufficient designs and ensuring the ambience and surrounds are not denigrated.
New builds should complement the current streetscape in a suburb. The Minns Labor Government’s housing plans are not inviting and welcoming. Councils help create a community that people want to belong to. These new housing plans will rob a community of space and may create ‘ghettos’.
Why aren’t we creating housing incentives that encourage empty nesters to downsize without financial penalty? Why should we funnel first homes owners into only buying apartments when they should be given a choice of an affordable house and land package – somewhere with a backyard with room for families to grow, to kick a ball, play with their children and roll around on the lawn?
Why should first home buyers have to compete with an overworked migration system? We should be looking after the new citizens and locally born residents who have already come to this country, rather than bringing more competition into the housing market. These residents should be our priority. Let’s accommodate those already living in this country.
If you want to continue this conversation with me, feel free to visit my website https://robynpreston.com.au/, email me at [email protected] or call me on (02) 4578 0300.
