Local Government NSW (LGNSW) President, Phyllis Miller OAM has appeared before the NSW Parliamentary inquiry on options for essential worker housing.
President Miller said the fact that more than a third of all submissions to the inquiry were from the local government sector underscored the scale of the issue and the urgent need for solutions.
“Essential workers are fundamental to maintaining well-functioning, prosperous local communities and economies. These key workers need to be able to live in the communities they serve, and the planning system should play its part in facilitating that outcome,” President Miller said.
“Firstly, the planning system could deliver much needed affordable rental housing in perpetuity in well-located areas through the NSW Government’s framework for affordable housing contribution schemes. But councils have told us that developing and getting these schemes approved is a challenging and lengthy process.
“Secondly, when the NSW Government is implementing widespread upzoning through its major planning changes it’s critical to have mechanisms in place to capture some of this development uplift for affordable housing,” she said.
President Miller also said that while welcome, regional councils had additional concerns about the impact of major infrastructure projects, such as new regional hospitals, road upgrades, and renewable energy developments.
“Without adequate housing and services, the influx of workers for these projects places additional strain on existing essential workers, exacerbating the housing crisis, disadvantaging other vulnerable households and again forcing councils to bear the brunt of providing housing to essential workers like doctors and police.”
“LGNSW urges the NSW Government to work closely with councils to address these issues in a way that balances the needs of essential workers, vulnerable communities, and the broader housing system,” she said.
The inquiry is due to report back to Parliament by 16 June.
