Following the NSW Liberal Party’s 2023 election loss, Opposition Leader Mark Speakman has announced he is repositioning the party as “unashamedly YIMBY” (Yes In My Backyard) as his reason for addressing NSW’s housing crisis.

In a speech to the Housing Now conference, a pro-housing alliance, Speakman emphasised the urgent need for more housing to prevent younger generations from being locked out of homeownership.

Speakman highlighted the party’s soul-searching post-election, noting its lack of appeal to voters under 35, who favor Labor and the Greens. He believes an aggressive pro-housing stance, inspired by Canadian conservatives, can reverse this trend. On immigration, a key driver of housing demand, he suggested recalibrating its composition to avoid undermining construction by limiting skilled tradies.

He criticised the NSW government for abandoning new Metro station plans, promising a Liberal Metro policy before the next election.

Speakman, in general, supported the government’s planning reforms and the Woollahra station redevelopment, though he doubted the projected 10,000-home uplift.

He also urged waiving certain housing taxes during the National Housing Accord period and prioritizing greenfield developments, as the state is set to miss its housing targets.

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Mark Speakman says . .

• He is “Unashamedly YIMBY”
• He believes the reforms will be “overwhelmingly good for neighbourhood homes”
• He supports “more infill housing and more greenfield development”
• He supports “ densification round rails stations”
• He believes that NSW “is not fulfilling the housing need fast enough”
• He is wanting to be “constructive in opposition”
• He “broadly supports majority of the proposals”
• The Libs are working with Labor “ in bipartisan round table discussions”
• He believes NSW is “desperate for planning reforms”
• He will be “taking the reforms he supports to the party room”
• He wants the Libs  “to at least support the vast package of reforms”
• He supports the introduction of a “Development authority”
• He is “disappointed in the number of housing approvals in NSW”
• He said that “infill and greenfield development is not feasible due to taxes and charges”
• He said he was” supportive of the Rosehill development and that they (Libs) would be looking at Rosehill”
• He believed “there is great opportunity to develop Long Bay Jail”
• He is “supportive of the proposed development of the Woollahra rail station and the addition of 10,000 dwellings”
• He said “we wants to be constructive and reforms on all fronts to make housing more affordable”
• HE said the Libs “are coming 3^rd behind Labor and Greens and the way to reverse that is to be pro-housing”
• He wants to see a “One Stop Shop to streamline development”
• He wants to see “ Greater density round major hubs”
• He is happy for “deferring developer contribution payments until occupancy stage”
• He wants “to see reduced land tax for rent to build developments”
• He Is not seeing “ enough planning round schools and hospitals”
• He wants “to see Stamp Duty reform”
• He wants to see a “downsize contribution for 3 bedrooms or more”
• He said the Libs “will build more METROS”
• He wants the Libs “to be a party of HOPE and reward aspiration – particularly the younger generation as a positivity of force””