Labor pledges to create new housing agency, Homes NSW

NSW Labor announced on Tuesday (10 January) that it would create a new housing department, Homes NSW, to “tackle the state’s housing crisis” should it win the NSW state election in March.

Homes NSW would be formed by merging three government agencies into one: the Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC), Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO), and DCJ Housing, the Opposition Party explained.

According to the government, social housing construction, maintenance, and tenant management are currently ‘split’ across various government agencies and departments.

A merged entity would better “drive the delivery of more housing options” and “manage social housing”, state Labor leader, Chris Minns, and shadow minister for housing, Rose Jackson, told reporters at Westmead Station, in Sydney’s West.

The party elaborated that the Land and Housing Corporation, which is part of the Department of Planning and Environment, is responsible for construction and asset maintenance. The Department of Communities and Justice Housing manages the Housing Register waiting list, existing tenants, and support services and the Aboriginal Housing Office plays a dual role specifically in relation to Aboriginal housing.

NSW Labor said that Homes NSW would instead be “a single, one-stop social and affordable housing agency which brings together all of these touch-points in a single authority to manage the delivery of social housing in NSW.”

The commitment comes off the back of NSW Labor’s recent stamp duty abolition and reduction promise.

The structure behind it

As the opposition explained, Homes NSW will ensure decisions are made, implemented and evaluated in the one place. It will streamline bureaucratic processes and “reduce the capacity for buck-passing.”

Aboriginal Housing would sit within this agency but would maintain distinct leadership, self-determination, and control for the “delivery of Aboriginal housing by Aboriginal people”.

It added that with the Housing Register wait list increasing to 57,550 in 2022 including the number of priority applicants (6,519) increasing by 12 per cent in just one year, it is “abundantly clear that addressing the housing crisis is a priority.”

The move is just one of a list of promises and plans announcement, with more to come as the 2023 state election day — 25 March — nears.

Such policies under a Minns-led party to date include: removing or reducing stamp duty for 95 per cent of first home buyers; abolishing the NSW government’s “forever land tax” on the family home; charging the Greater Cities Commission to review and rebalance population and housing growth by setting new housing targets matched to infrastructure, especially around Metro lines; and introducing a mandatory requirement for 30 per cent of all homes built on surplus government land to be set aside for social, affordable, and universal housing.

Cutting the red tape

NSW Labor leader Mr Minns said: “We have a housing crisis that needs urgent attention. We need government that removes the red tape and hurdles that are stopping people from getting into homes.

“The creation of this single agency will ensure decisions are made, implemented and evaluated in the one place.

“I want to speak a little bit about our stamp duty reforms that we announced yesterday and the choice facing the taxpayers.

“It’s time that Dominic Perrottet told the taxpayers of this state whether he will give a tax cut for first homebuyers or land tax forever.

“I noted yesterday that the treasurer of New South Wales … criticised aspects of Labour’s plan, but refused to comment on whether he would back the massive tax cut that we’re offering first homebuyers [NSW].

“I think that’s completely disingenuous of the Treasurer of the State and it’s time for the premier to be upfront with taxpayers just two and a half months before the next election.”

FHB tax cut feedback

Asked at the Homes NSW announcement about early responses to the opposition’s plan to eliminate stamp duty if elected, Mr Minns replied: “Well, they [Labor] were encouraged by the fact that in the last 24 hours [there are] indications the [NSW] government’s going to endorse our plan for a massive tax cut for New South Wales first time buyers, which is an indication … of the quality of our plans, the importance of our policy,” he said.

[Related: NSW stamp duty abolition important housing ‘jigsaw piece’: Labor]