Mr GREG WARREN (Campbelltown) (15:55): I am delighted to make a brief contribution to debate on the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Planning System Reforms) Bill 2025. I acknowledge the presence of my good friend the planning Minister in the Chamber. He has remained in the Chamber for the entire debate. I am not surprised that this hardworking Minister has done so. The bill closes off many months, if not years, of work by the planning Minister and his team. I thank and acknowledge all of them for their hard work because, on this side of the Chamber, we know that the great Australian dream is in the fabric of our Australian culture, and it is an enduring responsibility of every Parliament in this country to ensure that it is sustained for future generations.
The changes in the bill will affect the pursuit of prosperity by generations to come. The Government knows it inherited a planning system that has long been opaque and has done nothing but put barriers in front of young people trying to enter the housing market. The Minister and all my colleagues on this side of the Chamber know that it is one thing to build a house, but another process entirely to build a community. That is a totally different conversation, and it is this Government's agenda. When council areas have been rezoned and development applications submitted, the Minister has been steadfast that they will not be supported or approved without adequate infrastructure. The Minister and the Government have been clear about how the turbulent nature of the planning process has been a barrier to social and economic growth, and we know who pays the price—it is young people. It inflates the market. Time is money. The cost of materials and market prices go up.
When we reduce supply, we inflate the market. I am certainly no economist, but I understand the importance of making sure that we have adequate housing supply in our communities. I say that not just as a member of Parliament; I say it as someone who is privileged to represent a growth area and as the father of four children, whom I want to see get the same opportunities that I had when I bought my first home in 1996. I say to the nimbys out there, "Why is it so wrong for young people today and the generations ahead to have the same opportunities that you once enjoyed?" That is my simple question. On this side of the Chamber we know that while we continue to want to live in houses rather than in trees or caves, houses will continue to be built. We are a market-driven society and we have a market-driven economy. That dictates where we go and how we do it. It is based on the fundamentals of supply and demand.
It is the enduring responsibility of the Parliament and its members to support every young person to enter the housing market in their enduring pursuit of prosperity. As members, we have many responsibilities and matters that we must take up, but, in the face of a housing crisis, now more than ever all of my colleagues need to be cognisant of that fundamental fact. Sadly, not every member is, which I find absolutely remarkable. That said, the overwhelming majority of my colleagues, no matter where they sit in the Legislative Assembly, do understand it. I am advised that the Opposition will not oppose the bill. I thank Opposition members for that, because it rewards a lot of hard work done for the good reason of supporting people to move into our communities. We are building not only homes but also communities for people to enjoy.
The proposed changes in the bill are designed to make the New South Wales planning system faster and fairer and help the delivery of much-needed housing. Later I will go into the detail of what the Government inherited, not out of spite but because we need to acknowledge the past to avoid making the same mistakes in the future. While we will not focus on the issue through the rear-view mirror, we must look at what has happened previously to amend the journey for future generations. That is the motivation of the Government and the Minister, and that is why the legislation is before the House today.
The complying development pathway will be expanded so more development is approved faster. That is very important, but it is not a green light to any and every development. The Minister, his team and the Government have made very clear that when an appropriate and adequate development ticks the boxes and is a lawful application for legal use that provides what is required for a home to be built in a community, that is an appropriate step. The reforms will formalise the role of the Housing Delivery Authority [HDA] to recognise its role in assessing major housing proposals and helping to deliver the State's housing targets.
The HDA has a significant role in housing approvals. In fewer than 10 months, it has declared 260 State significant projects, which will result in 91,100 homes. The reforms will make it easier to approve minor modifications that do not impact the environment, giving greater certainty to applicants and avoiding construction delays. Price inflation continues during those delays and many people get priced out of the market. The Government has reduced development application time frames. But, as the Minister and the Government have acknowledged, they are still too long: an average of 86 days but up to, in some cases, 239 days.
I am proud of this Government for many reasons, but I am particularly proud that it owns the issues, is frank about them and is honest with the people of New South Wales when it outlines the task ahead. There is no point sugarcoating issues, because the people of New South Wales know about them. They talk about them at the pub, the shopping centre, the coffee shop and around the dinner table at night. Nothing is more frustrating than being dictated to by a government or a member of Parliament about, firstly, a known issue and, secondly, something that is not true or consistent with facts. That is why expanding complying development will mean more development will be approved in as little as 20 days. The planning system in New South Wales has never been able to achieve that before.
I referred to reflecting on the past. When Labor came to government, the average development application was taking nearly 120 days to assess. Councils and agencies were bogged down with assessments of small‑scale, minor applications, while families and developers alike were left waiting in limbo. The result was predictable: Fewer homes were built, costs inflated and communities lost faith in the system. Stakeholders and developers went to other States because moving was consistent with their business cases: Applications were taking too long and costing too much. That inflated the market, which is one of the primary reasons, combined with a lack of supply, that the housing market is out of reach for so many people in this great State. [Extension of time]
New South Wales needs approvals that are both fast and fair, cutting unnecessary delay while keeping safeguards firmly in place. That is why the bill expands the role of complying development. For low-risk, low‑impact proposals that do not meet strict development standards, councils will now have 10 days to approve small variations to the standards. That will mean that more commonsense development can access the faster planning pathway and be approved in as little as 20 days. That is about proportionality in action. A simple carport, a minor setback adjustment or a straightforward home addition should not be stuck in the planning system for months. Those kinds of developments should be dealt with quickly so that councils can turn their attention to the more complex applications that require detailed assessment.
By expanding complying development, we are giving families certainty and builders confidence while also freeing up scarce planning resources. Another key element of the bill is the enshrining of the Housing Delivery Authority in legislation. The HDA has already shown its worth by declaring more than 260 major projects as State significant, amounting to over 91,100 homes. The bill is a proactive and progressive step forward and makes it easier to modify existing approvals where the changes are minor. Too often a small adjustment like shifting a window, altering a facade or reconfiguring a car space has meant another lengthy assessment process.
The changes in the bill are not supported just by government; they are strongly backed by industry, community and councils. I discussed the bill with the councils of Campbelltown and Wollondilly, which work collaboratively with the Government. I commend them for that. They have their own challenges of balancing housing growth in their communities with environmental concerns, while bringing existing residents along with them. Environmental concerns are a priority for the Minister and this Government. In the past habitat preservation and conservation have not had the attention they need and deserve. That is not the case under this Government, which understands the importance of the conservation and preservation of habitat. My electorate has the cherished and valued disease-free koala colony, which we hold very dear. Sadly and tragically, koalas are being killed on roads at this time of the year during the mating season, which is anticipated to end in February.
Property Council Australia has described the reforms as essential to freeing up bottlenecks in the system and giving certainty to both investors and the community. The peak body for local government in New South Wales has broadly welcomed the changes to the State's environmental planning legislation and acknowledged that proposed changes would address several key concerns long held by councils across the State. The NSW President of the Planning Institute of Australia, Sue Weatherley, said:
Planners support a risk-based approach to development assessment—where low-risk, straightforward development can proceed through streamlined pathways—freeing up resources for more complex or higher-risk proposals.
The Housing Industry Association also welcomed the expansion of compliant development as "a win" for its Getting Keys in Doors campaign, and the Urban Taskforce has called the bill a seismic shift in the way planning is done in this State. I conclude where I began, by acknowledging and thanking the Minister, his team and all the agencies involved for their countless hours—if not weeks, months and years—of hard work. The great Australian dream should always be sustained, and we are the ones who hold the baton to ensure that it is. I thank the House.
