The Victorian Liberal opposition has been slammed for its 11th-hour attempt to stop social and affordable housing projects and slow Victoria’s economic recovery from coronavirus.
The opposition will today try to revoke a planning scheme amendment that will streamline the delivery of new homes through the Andrews Labor Government’s $5.3 billion Big Housing Build.
Work has already begun on the Big Housing Build, which will deliver more than 12,000 new homes and create 10,000 jobs a year, each year over the next four years.
The program will deliver secure, modern, and affordable homes throughout Victoria – with 25 per cent of funding to be allocated to regional Victoria and 2,000 new homes for Victorians living with mental illness.
But the Liberals will shamefully try to make it harder for the Labor Government to build new homes for people who need them most by revoking planning scheme amendment VC190.
VC190 introduced a new planning provision to enable housing projects funded under Victoria’s Big Housing Build to go through a streamlined process determined by the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change.
The change will make it quicker and easier to get projects underway – meaning more homes for those who really need them sooner as well as delivering jobs and economic activity.
Consultation with the public and the relevant municipal council and the consideration of their responses is a requirement of this new clause, and Homes Victoria will undertake early and ongoing engagement of proposals.
The Liberal Party has a long history of trying to revoke planning amendments as a back-door way to oppose major projects – this continues that tradition.
They also have a long history of opposing social and affordable housing – something that is only delivered by Labor governments.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Planning and Housing Richard Wynne
“This is moral and economic vandalism from the Liberals. Our amendment will make it quicker and easier for us to deliver new homes for people who need it most and create Victorian jobs – yet they’re trying to block it.”
“The Liberals always say they oppose red tape but now they’re trying as hard as they can to preserve it and make it harder to build new homes Victorians need – it’s more evidence they just oppose everything and stand for nothing.”
“This is another leadership test for Michael O’Brien. I’m sure there are many in their party that don’t agree with the stance they’ve taken and will be even more disgruntled if he doesn’t do something about it.”
Reviewed 02 March 2021