Amidst a growing housing crisis, the Malinauskas Labor Government has today moved to oppose sensible amendments to crucial legislation that would unlock additional areas for housing development.
In Parliament today, Housing Minister Nick Champion moved to block Opposition amendments to the Planning Development and Infrastructure (Environment and Food Production Areas) Amendment Bill, which would have seen additional land, not suitable for productive farming, opened up for development.
Leader of the Opposition, Vincent Tarzia said the Minister’s pigheaded refusal to support the Opposition’s amendments will only cause more housing pain for South Australians.
“Under Labor, Adelaide has become the least affordable capital city to rent a home and the second least affordable to buy a house in the nation, second only to Sydney,” Mr Tarzia said.
“The enviable lifestyle we enjoy here in South Australia is slipping away and future generations need us to work together now to solve this housing crisis before the dream of home ownership becomes a distant memory.
“The amendments put forward by the Opposition strike the right balance between increasing housing supply and protecting our vital agriculture industries.
“The Malinauskas Government hasn’t built a single house on the land release sites it announced in 2023, and it will be another two and a half years before anyone can dream of moving in.
“Labor has been in power for 20 of the past 24 years and this housing crisis falls squarely at their feet.”
Shadow Minister for Planning and Housing, Michelle Lensink is calling on Labor to work in a bi-partisan way, not dismiss sensible suggestions.
“The land we have suggested could be removed from the EFPA has been identified by local communities as not being suitable for productive farming, whilst also being well serviced by key infrastructure,” Ms Lensink said.
“This includes parcels near Murray Bridge which have never been used for food production and are currently zoned rural living and additional land around Victor Harbor and Goolwa that is no longer suitable for long term viable farming.
“Most of these allotments have single dwellings and are currently well serviced with existing water and electricity infrastructure.
“These are sensible amendments, backed by the housing sector. The Government needs to stop playing politics and start putting slabs on the ground.”
