20 June 2018
The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) has applauded the NSW State Government’s response to cost-of-living issues and infrastructure pressures in Tuesday’s Budget, but questioned the lack of follow-through on implementing regional growth strategies.
PIA NSW State President Jenny Rudolph said strong Government investment over 2017-18 was responsible for the successes of the Greater Sydney Commission (GSC) and the Department of Planning and Environment’s delivery of regional strategies and reforms to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.
“GSC has provided a vision for Greater Sydney,” Ms Rudolph said, “and we need to see this implemented across state agencies and local government as the priorities and visions are recognised.
“While the Planning and Environment has been given more resources, the substantial drop in expenditure allocated to the GSC above its baseline funding puts implementation plans at risk,” she said.
The GSC's budgeted expenditure for 2018-19 ($40 million) is well down from 2017-18 ($144 million) when it prepared and released Sydney's Regional and District Plans.
PIA understands the Commission operates on a base level budget of around $15 million annually and draws on greatly varying levels of grant funding.
It is important the Commission has predictable and adequate resources to implement the Greater Sydney Region and District Plans and help councils in updating and aligning their strategies.
The Hunter Development Corporation shows a similar pattern with budgeted expenditure of $79 million down from last year’s budget – but up from the significantly lower mid-year revision.
“Investment into the coordinated growth of NSW’s regions is vital both to protect the quality of the natural and built environment whilst realising the potential in these areas,” Ms Rudolph said.
PIA welcomes the creation of the “NSW Generation Fund” – a multi-billion-dollar sovereign wealth fund which will receive an immediate $3 billion Budget injection and, potentially, the proceeds from sale of a 49 per cent stake in the WestConnex motorway.
The dividends could fund a range of community-inspired initiatives.
Ms Rudolph said PIA supported the concept of a wealth fund, provided the initiatives it funded were applied strategically to meet community and green infrastructure needs identified in regional and district plans.
She added that the Budget contained no substantial new commitments to the improving housing affordability.
“This was a major feature of last year’s budget, and the problem has not gone away. There should be an opportunity to support local affordable and social housing initiatives through the NSW Generation Fund.
“As planners, we need to challenge how our cities and regions have performed in human terms and how they are developing as places to live, shelter and work – and whether they are becoming fairer, safer and more sustainable.
“The community expects a ‘dividend’ alongside the growth and change we are experiencing.
“Overall, however, the budget sends a message that the Government appreciates that growth and change should be accompanied by improvements to liveability,” Mr Rudolph said.
“This can best be achieved by explicitly implementing our regional plans for cities and regions rather than engaging in indiscriminate hand-outs.”
ENDS