Planning reform a priority for new Baird Ministry

Planning reform a priority for new Baird MinistryThe Property Council of Australia welcomes Rob Stokes’ appointment as Planning Minister and looks forward to collaboration on reforms needed to fix the State’s planning system.”Mr Stokes showed a great appetite for reform in the environment portfolio and served as a Shadow Parliament Secretary for Planning,” NSW Executive Director Glenn Byres said.”He has a great opportunity to fix the State’s broken planning system, which remains the biggest piece of unfinished business from the Government’s first term.”We see the results of a dysfunctional system through projections that show Sydney is facing a housing supply deficit of 190,000 homes within a decade.”The Government needs to revisit efforts to transform the planning system through new legislation that cuts red tape, creates clear rules and reduces time and costs for projects.”The other big imperative is to see the proposal for a Greater Sydney Commission converted into a meaningful agency that can cut through bureaucratic barriers and inertia.”The new Commission needs to be truly independent and have the teeth needed to overcome impediments to the delivery of new jobs, housing and infrastructure.”Mr Byres also welcomed other critical new portfolio ministers including Gladys Berejiklian (Treasury), Andrew Constance (Transport & Infrastructure), and Mark Speakman (Environment). View the New South Wales Cabinet List of MinistersView the List of NSW Parliamentary Secretaries