Wednesday, 28 May 2025

Select Committee on Victoria Planning Provisions Amendments VC257, VC267 and VC274

Inquiry into Victoria Planning Provisions Amendments VC257, VC267 and VC274

Sheena WATT (Northern Metropolitan) (17:28): I take the opportunity to rise today to deliver a statement on the Select Committee on Victoria’s Planning Provision Amendments VC257, VC267 and VC274 report, which was tabled here in the last sitting week. The Allan Labor government’s bold planning reforms are reforms that are not only necessary but essential to securing a sustainable housing future for Victoria. At a time when so many Victorians are being locked out of the housing market, the government has chosen to act decisively. The amendments VC257, GC252, VC267 and VC274 represent the most significant overhaul of our planning system in decades. They are not only abstract ideas – let me be clear on that – they are the result of an unprecedented process of community engagement and expert input. More than 110,000 Victorians took part in the Plan for Victoria process, with over 10,000 contributing specifically to the activity centre reforms. These are not just reforms for the people, they are reforms shaped by the people. VC257 and GC252 provide the foundations for delivering over 60,000 homes across 10 pilot activity centres strategically chosen for their access to jobs, to schools, to health care and to public transport. These amendments cut red tape and give the industry clarity and consistency, and that is just the beginning. They lay the groundwork for expansion to 15 more centres, unlocking space for over 300,000 new homes.

The new Townhouse and Low-rise Code – that is, VC267 – sets a consistent statewide framework for small and medium-density housing. For the first time builders and councils will have a clear set of standards that will include better setbacks, more tree canopy, improved room sizes and stronger requirements for natural light, accessibility and livability. These are the kinds of homes we should expect and demand for a growing state like Victoria.

Then of course there is VC274, which was also investigated as part of this select committee inquiry. One of the most transformative reforms of all, it is designed to unlock 70,000 homes around six new stations on the Suburban Rail Loop. This project is not just about homes; it is about creating whole communities. These are mixed-use precincts that bring jobs, services and open space together, delivering housing where people want and need to live.

These reforms are about speeding up delivery, because we know that too many good developments are delayed or derailed by lengthy appeal processes. The townhouse code will reduce the burden on VCAT, where one in three applications in some areas are currently being appealed. This adds cost, time and incredible complexity to these projects. Fewer delays means faster approvals and more affordable homes.

I am very happy to let the chamber know that these changes do not compromise quality. In fact they have set the strongest environmental and design standards we have ever seen, from rooftop solar and energy efficiency to improved stormwater management and increased tree canopy. These amendments ensure that new homes are fit for the future, sustainable, livable and environmentally friendly.

These reforms enjoy the support of experts and industry alike, from the Grattan Institute and Infrastructure Victoria to the Property Council of Australia, UDIA Victoria and even members of the Liberals for Housing group. This is not partisan planning; it is smart future-focused policy, and it is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape our planning system to meet the needs of a growing and changing Victoria. In doing so we have sent a message: the government has a role to play in shaping inclusive, connected and affordable communities. The government is absolutely on the side of renters, first home buyers, families and downsizers; on the side of builders and tradies who want to get to work and want to build communities; and on the side of those communities that want certainty, good design and access to opportunity. We will not allow delays, scare campaigns or political games to derail the important work of building more homes for more Victorians, because every day we hesitate is another day a young person gives up on owning a home or a family are forced further from the places that they love and are connected to. This government will keep building homes because that is what we are absolutely committed to doing, because the alternative is the status quo, and that is simply not good enough.