“My Ministers will get Britain building, including through planning reform, as they seek to accelerate the delivery of high quality infrastructure and housing.”
So said the new UK Prime Minister at the opening of Parliament last week.
Sir Keir Starmer’s King’s speech underscored the UK Government’s ambitious housing agenda – 1.5 million homes in five years.
And, as here, the balance must be struck to encourage a quality, climate adjusted, energy efficient roll out of new housing that is future ready.
This is the realistic shift we are starting to see in Australia across our three levels of government. From governments saying they want new housing to creating frameworks to meet that essential national long term need.
The UK Labour manifesto sets out the extent of the attitudinal change among key leaders:
“We will take tough action to ensure that planning authorities have up-to-date Local Plans and reform and strengthen the presumption in favour of sustainable development.”
But the introduction to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill puts it best,
“The planning system must be an enabler of growth – enabling democratic engagement with how, not if, homes and infrastructure are built.”
Necessary aims. Right mindset.
Now let us see if we can match them.
Job well done
This week Australian Financial Review editor Michael Stutchbury announced he is stepping down on 9 August.
Michael’s editorials have always been a go to for those who believe in well-regulated and competitive markets.
He has been the pole star for a paper and a tribe of journalists that offers a coherent, pro-business world view in a time of rapid change.
No issue too complex, no political cow too sacred, no bad business that avoided the hammer of the AFR.
Thanks, Stutch, it took 13 years, but you made me smarter.