Housing Affordability

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-96237

Hansard session: Fifty-Sixth Parliament, First Session (56-1)

Housing Affordability

Consideration

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (15:41:49):

My motion to be accorded priority is in the following terms:

That this House:

(1)Notes that under the current Opposition, New South Wales had the lowest number of new dwelling starts per capita in the country.

(2)Condemns the Opposition's lack of investment in housing supply.

(3)Acknowledges New South Wales hit a record high of 70,000 approvals last year.

(4)Supports the Government's plan to address housing affordability.

My motion should be accorded priority because this Government is committed to investing in, approving and increasing housing stock in order to address housing affordability. Under this Government the New South Wales economy is the fastest growing economy of all the States. In fact, New South Wales became the best performing economy under this Government. It continues to be the best performing economy because of the policies and initiatives of this Government including record high housing approvals—70,000 last year alone. The policies and initiatives of those opposite have done nothing to assist with housing affordability.

In fact, last year the advice of the Deputy Leader of the Labor Party and Opposition planning spokesperson to homebuyers was to move to Lithgow or Bathurst if they wanted to buy a home. Lithgow and Bathurst are terrific places but that advice shows that Labor has no policies regarding housing affordability and it demonstrates his party's inability to lead or govern New South Wales. This motion must be accorded priority because this Government is addressing issues of housing affordability by approving new homes and building infrastructure such as roads, public transport, hospitals and schools in areas of current and future population growth.

Across New South Wales more than 54,000 new homes were completed last year, almost double the number approved between 2008 and 2011 when those opposite were in government and did nothing to aid housing affordability and increase stock. Let us take a look at Labor's track record in housing affordability: a 2.2 per cent vendor tax, which locked up property and limited the supply of housing in the market; no infrastructure development; and no upgrades to transport across New South Wales. This motion must be accorded priority because housing affordability is one of the most important issues in New South Wales. Those opposite have no plan, no solution, no motivation, no backbone and no idea.