Wednesday, 3 December 2025

 Sonya KILKENNY (Carrum – Attorney-General, Minister for Planning) (15:30): I rise to update the house on the Allan Labor government’s generational reforms to Victoria’s planning system – reforms that will speed up approvals, cut delays and unlock more homes and more housing choice. At its heart our planning reform agenda is about one urgent, simple goal: more homes built faster in all the places people want to live. That goal stands in stark contrast to those opposite. When they had the chance to support meaningful change, they said, ‘No, not in my backyard.’ The only thing they have managed to overhaul is their frontbench, a revolving door of shadow planning ministers: three in just 12 months.

I wrote to the new Leader of the Opposition about our planning bill, and I outlined how our bill will help get more millennials into the housing market. I asked one simple question: will you support our bill? I am still waiting – no response, no ideas, no plan. The Leader of the Opposition loves to talk about housing choice, but her party blocks every measure that would actually deliver that choice. Let me spell it out.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, a ministers statement is not an opportunity for the minister to attack the opposition.

Jacinta Allan interjected.

Mary-Anne Thomas: Speaker, I reject the point of order, and the Premier has taken the words right out of my mouth. The minister on her feet is speaking entirely factually. Therefore there is no point of order. I ask that you rule it out of order.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Planning to come back to her ministers statement.

Sonya KILKENNY: Let me spell it out for the blocker from Brighton. This government has rolled out a suite of reforms –

Brad Rowswell: On a point of order, Speaker: correct parliamentary titles.

The SPEAKER: Minister, refer to members by their correct parliamentary titles, please, and come back to your ministers statement.

Sonya KILKENNY: Townhouse and low-rise apartment code, positioning Victoria as the townhouse capital; single home code, making it easier to build on small lots; our 10-year greenfield plan for more homes with backyards; our development facilitation program, accelerating good planning decisions and boosting affordable housing; our train and tram zone program, delivering more homes in well-connected areas with a commonsense approach to parking; making it easier to build a second home, subdivide or build two homes on a lot; and of course overhauling our planning and environment laws.