NSW Minister for Planning & Public Spaces, Paul Scully, has released a media release (8 January 2025) launching his signature undemocratic and overdevelopment plans for NSW – the ‘Housing Delivery Authority’ (HDA).

The HDA now welcomes expressions of interest (EOI) from developers. This EOI process will remain open with proposals reviewed monthly, giving developers ongoing opportunities to have their proposals considered.

The HDA will lead a new State Significant Development (SSD) pathway and State Significant Development with a concurrent rezoning process for major residential developments.

FOKE takes the view that this new authority is designed to make it easier for developers to build major residential housing projects and fast track rezonings without council approval. From a community perspective it appears, yet again, that developer rights’ are prioritized before community interests – particularly when stronger environmental controls are needed in a rapidly escalating climate catastrophe around the world.

The NSW Local Government Association & Better Planning Network have condemned this undemocratic initiative.

The HAD will be led by Simon Draper, Secretary, Premier’s Department; Kiersten Fishburn, Secretary, Department of Planning; and Tom Gellibrand, Infrastructure NSW CEO.

Developer lobby groups, the Property Council of Australia and the Urban Taskforce have been strong supporters of Draper, Fishburn & Gellibrand.

The Property Council have said they looked“forward to working”with Mr Simon Draper, “to confront the housing crisis” (Media Release 23.8.24).

The Urban Taskforce have spoken glowingly about Ms Kiersten Fishburn as “the right person for the job” and expressed appreciation for her work in “unblocking . . . many significant development proposals” (Media
Release 7.9.21).

Tom Forrest, CEO of the Urban Taskforce has welcomed the HDA as a “high-calibre team” who will push “big and bold reform” and commented that Kiersten Fishburn had been central to the creation of the new HDA body.

When Peter Achterstraat was appointed as the NSW Productivity Commission the Urban Taskforce Tom Forrest repeated his mantra saying it was “an excellent appointment”& “opens the way to drive economic reform” of the NSW planning system.

When will Paul Scully MP, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces visit Ku-ring-gai? Is he too busy giving keynote speeches to developers as he did when he gave the key note address to the Urban Taskforce
Conference on TODs (10.10.24)?

Disclosure Summary, April 2023– Sept 2024:

Paul Scully met, as Minister for Planning & Public Spaces 2023-2024 with:

• Urban Taskforce (18.5.23)
• Property Council of NSW (22.5.24)
• Urban Development Institute Australia (6.6.23)
• Property Council of Australia, Colliers, MMJ Real Estate (9.6.23)
• Meriton & Premier Minns (26.6.23)
• Mirvac (13.7.23)
• Stockland & Mirvac (26.7.23)
• Committee of Sydney (18.9.24)
• Lendlease, Mirvac (27.9.23)
• Sydney YIMBY (6.12.23)
• Meriton & Premier (11.12.23)
• Property Council (20.2.24)
• Property Council (11.3.24)
• Sydney Morning Herald (21.3.24)
• Lendlease (27.3.24)
• Mirvac (27.3.24)
• Stockland (8.4.24)
• Urban Taskforce (23.4.24)
• Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) NSW (8.7.24)
• Mirvac & Stockland (12.8.24)
• Property Council (21.8.24)