Warning Sydney is ‘without a future'
NSW Premier Chris Minns has told business leaders Sydney will be left 'without a future' if the state government cannot deliver more housing, after a first-of-its-kind mini-city was voted down last month.
The Australian Turf Club voted to reject a $5bn plan to redevelop the historic Rosehill racecourse, replete with 25,000 new homes and a metro station, which would have secured the racing club for '100 years'.
Addressing more than 100 business leaders at the Shangri-La hotel on Tuesday, Mr Minns said despite the advancements made to the liveability of Sydney, 'we still lose twice as many people as we get'.
'Housing persistently is our biggest challenge, not just in the economy but in terms of intergenerational fairness and equity and giving young people an opportunity,' Mr Minns said.
'We are losing twice as many young people as we gain every single year, and that's even taking into consideration the fact that we are the largest city for inbound migration from any jurisdiction in the country.
'A city without young people is a city without a future, and the leading reason for that is we're not building enough houses.'
On any 'Plan B' following the failed Rosehill vote, Mr Minns remained mum.
'But we we've got specific plans ahead,' he said. NSW Premier Chris Minns has told business leaders Sydney is 'without a future' if one important issue isn't addressed. Photo: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia
'We're looking forward to talking them through when we're ready to talk about them.'
He noted the need for more in-fill development, and housing along train lines.
Mr Minns said NSW was 'not even building enough houses in comparison to other states on the eastern seaboard', and said the government was poised to address planning laws – but, with one key hitch.
He said planning was 'next cab off the rank' after workers comp reforms are passed.
The state government's workers compensation reforms faced a major hurdle last week when, despite pleas to have the legislation passed before June 30, the Opposition and the Greens teamed up to send it back for an inquiry.
The Opposition, along with the unions and some industry leaders, claim the reforms, while badly needed, would leave many of the most vulnerable workers without help due to changes to the WPI threshold.
The WPI, or whole person impairment, would be raised to 31 per cent for a psychological injury under the planned workers compensation bill, which detractors say will leave the most injured workers at risk.
Mr Minns noted in his address the 'weird coalition between the Greens, the Liberal Party and the National Party' who had opposed the proposed reforms, and called for urgent action ahead of the state budget.
'It's not my style to make these speeches or events like this political … but, the decision of the Liberals and Nationals is not the right one. It was the wrong one,' Mr Minns said.
'We're not trying to smash the system into pieces. We believe we're trying to save the system. It's crucial for business in NSW and absolutely crucial for all of us.
Business NSW president Joseph Carrozzi AM mirrored some of those sentiments.
'In recent times, we've seen reforms proposed by the government that business is badly needing.
'We need that categorically and it's a real shame that the Bill seems to, at the moment, be resisted by the Greens and by the Coalition … We hope that the Coalition will support and not frustrate this reform. Treasurer Daniel Moohkey said the forthcoming budget was 'about hope'. Photo by: NCA Newswire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia
'The reform, which we believe is a bold but necessary reform ... must be supported.'
Mr Carrozi urged for 'practical reform' that happens when 'officials meet in the middle and chart the way forward', and noted the continued impact business and the NSW community faced from natural disasters.
Treasurer Daniel Moohkey said businesses were dealing with more disasters, and highlighted the need to address the Emergency Services levy and insurance premiums businesses were facing from disasters.
With the budget on the horizon, Mr Moohkey on Tuesday made his pitch to the business community.
'This budget will be about growth,' he said.
'It will be about making sure we rebuild our essential services. It will be making sure that this government has the right settings in place for you to make decisions in your own businesses.'
During his address, Mr Minns acknowledged the work of the previous Berejiklian government, specifically the 15 new Metro stations approved under the then-Coalition government, and said more were on the way.
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