Tuesday, 14 November 2023

Housing

Adem SOMYUREK (Northern Metropolitan) (13:24): On another matter, I take this opportunity to call on the government to get on with delivering its housing policy. One of the most important instruments any state government can utilise in facilitating the construction of more homes is a streamlining of the planning process. Before the release of its housing policy the government had signalled its intention to do this in its policy by seizing planning control of town planning applications for multi-unit developments. Except in limited circumstances, the government’s housing statement back-pedals on this very important instrument. I have now read that the government is considering assuming planning control as a means of building more than 60,000 new apartments. That is well and good, but it will not be until the end of next year, when more Victorians will be struggling to put a roof over their heads. I call on the government to act now rather than at the end of next year.