Public housing for the public good

Submission to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment on the Bays West Stage 1 Draft Master Plan | October 2022

As noted in the Greater Sydney region plan: A metropolis of three cities, Sydney is one of the
most expensive cities in the world – in fact, only two cities are worse. Our housing is less
affordable than New York, London, Singapore or Paris. In the major cities we like to compare ourselves to such as London and Paris it is the norm to have upwards of 20% public housing.

These cities have recognised the need to redress housing inequality and are investing billions in building new public and affordable homes for their residents. For example, London is building 10,000 new public homes over four years. Prioritising private profit over public good is a disaster for the community and bad economic management. There is dire need for our government to do better by us and dramatically increase investment in public housing at every opportunity.

Our position is that all housing developments on public land must be 100% public housing, and that other residential development as part of State Significant Precincts must include a minimum 50% public housing. Without this substantial increase in ambition there is little hope that Sydney will ever increase affordable housing stock enough to meet the needs of people on low incomes.

You can read our submission in full below.