Thursday, 19 March 2026

 Sonya KILKENNY (Carrum – Attorney-General, Minister for Planning) (14:27): This morning, alongside the Premer, we proudly announced another major reform in delivering more homes for Victorians, the new mid-rise code for residential buildings of four to six storeys. These are the homes you see in some of the world’s most livable cities, places like Paris and Madrid. They are exactly the kind of well-designed, gentle-density housing that Melbourne needs more of. The code will apply in areas where these heights are already allowed, including in our housing choice and transport zones. Importantly, it sets clear, strong standards, 26 in total, to ensure that homes are livable and comfortable and fit into their neighbourhoods, with new standards for setbacks, more space for trees and landscaping and stronger protections from overshadowing. This is all about unlocking those suburbs, delivering more townhouses and apartments and more homes in well-connected suburbs close to jobs, transport and services. It is going to make a huge difference, cutting planning delays, removing uncertainty and ending the drawn-out VCAT limbo that holds too many projects back.

Those opposite have made their position crystal clear. They guarantee to rip up these reforms, tearing homes away from young Victorians. They want to drag Victoria back to the same broken system that has locked up well-connected suburbs for 30 years. They want to keep locking out young people, creating childless suburbs where families just cannot afford to live, where populations of children and people under 65 are going backwards. At schools in Kew, enrolments are plunging. This includes the opposition leader’s own electorate. And leading the charge is her biggest backer, the blocker from Brighton.