Decision details

By Councillor Ellsmore

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note and congratulate NSW Labor and Premier-elect Chris Minns, who will form the new NSW Government following the State Election held on 25 March 2023;

(B)      Council note:

(i)         the former NSW Government is estimated to have sold more 4,200 social housing properties, valued at more than $3 billion, including public housing located in the City of Sydney Local Government Area;

(ii)        the social housing waitlist in NSW is over 57,000, including over 1,000 in the inner city;

(iii)      there were number of public housing properties in the City of Sydney Local Government Area which were on sale during the caretaker period, including large terraces in the Glebe Estate, which have historically been used to house families;

(iv)      the current wait list for a family seeking public housing in the inner city is more than ten years; 

(v)       during the 2023 NSW election campaign, NSW Labor committed to immediately end the sale of public housing in NSW, and to implement legislation to place a moratorium on the privatisation of public housing including the sale, outsourcing, or leasing of any public housing assets or services; and

(vi)      in addition, the then Labor Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness committed to urgently reviewing re-development projects which have been announced, or are underway, on public land. Public housing sites in the City of Sydney which are currently under redevelopment or proposed for future redevelopment include, but are not limited to, the Waterloo Estate, South Eveleigh Explorer Street, 600-660 Elizabeth Street Redfern, and Franklyn Street Glebe;

(C)      Council further note:

(i)         the City of Sydney is committed to tackling housing affordability where it can, including through protecting and increasing public housing, and is currently implementing a wide range of strategies and actions;

(ii)        the Lord Mayor has long advocated to Federal and State governments to adopt more ambitious targets for public and social housing developments, and to end the sale of public housing sites in the City. This includes advocating to the incoming Prime Minister Albanese: to develop sustainable funding and investment models to ensure the adequate provision of appropriate public, social and affordable housing, especially in inner cities close to jobs and services; and for the Federal Government to work with the City to secure 100 per cent public, social and affordable housing at the Waterloo Estate; 

(iii)      in February 2023, Council endorsed a Lord Mayoral Minute on priorities for the next NSW Government, including that planning powers for all public, social and affordable housing sites are returned to the City, and to end the sell-off of public land; and

(iv)      in March 2023, the Lord Mayor wrote to Chris Minns the then Opposition Leader and now NSW Premier asking that the Labor Party commit to working with the City on these priorities following the NSW election; and

(D)      the Lord Mayor be requested to urgently write to the incoming NSW Premier Chris Minns, the Minister responsible for Housing and the Minister responsible for Planning, to:

(i)         reaffirm the City’s commitment to protect and increase public housing in the local area; and

(ii)        request an urgent meeting to discuss how the City of Sydney Council can support the incoming NSW Labor Government to implement the moratorium on the sell-off of public housing, to review current redevelopment or proposed redevelopment projects impacting existing public housing, and to increase public housing in the local area. 

Note – at the meeting of Council, the content of the original Notice of Motion was varied at the outset by Councillor Ellsmore. Subsequently it was –

Moved by Councillor Ellsmore, seconded by Councillor Scully –

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note and congratulate NSW Labor and Premier-elect Chris Minns, who will form the new NSW Government following the State Election held on 25 March 2023;

(B)      Council note:

(i)         the former NSW Government is estimated to have sold more 4,200 social housing properties, valued at more than $3 billion, including public housing located in the City of Sydney Local Government Area;

(ii)        the social housing waitlist in NSW is over 57,000, including over 1,000 in the inner city;

(iii)      there were number of public housing properties in the City of Sydney Local Government Area which were on sale during the caretaker period, including large terraces in the Glebe Estate, which have historically been used to house families;

(iv)      public housing properties in the Glebe Estate currently listed for sale include 105 Mitchell Street, 36-38 Campbell Street and 93 Campbell Street;

(v)       the current wait list for a family seeking public housing in the inner city is more than ten years; 

(vi)      during the 2023 NSW election campaign, NSW Labor committed to immediately end the sale of public housing in NSW, and to implement legislation to place a moratorium on the privatisation of public housing including the sale, outsourcing, or leasing of any public housing assets or services; and

(vii)     in addition, the then Labor Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness committed to urgently reviewing re-development projects which have been announced, or are underway, on public land. Public housing sites in the City of Sydney which are currently under redevelopment or proposed for future redevelopment include, but are not limited to, the Waterloo Estate, South Eveleigh Explorer Street, 600-660 Elizabeth Street Redfern, and Franklyn Street Glebe;

(C)      Council further note:

(i)         although public/housing is currently principally the responsibility of the State Government, the City of Sydney is committed to tackling housing affordability where it can, including through protecting and increasing public housing, and is currently implementing a wide range of strategies and actions;

(ii)        the Lord Mayor has long advocated to Federal and State governments to adopt more ambitious targets for public and social housing developments, and to end the sale of public housing sites in the City. This includes advocating to the incoming Prime Minister Albanese: to develop sustainable funding and investment models to ensure the adequate provision of appropriate public, social and affordable housing, especially in inner cities close to jobs and services; and for the Federal Government to work with the City to secure 100 per cent public, social and affordable housing at the Waterloo Estate; 

(iii)      in February 2023, Council endorsed a Lord Mayoral Minute on priorities for the next NSW Government, including that planning powers for all public, social and affordable housing sites are returned to the City, and to end the sell-off of public land; and

(iv)      in March 2023, the Lord Mayor wrote to Chris Minns the then Opposition Leader and now NSW Premier asking that the Labor Party commit to working with the City on these priorities following the NSW election; and

(D)      the Lord Mayor be requested to urgently write to the incoming NSW Premier Chris Minns, the Minister responsible for Housing and the Minister responsible for Planning, to:

(i)         reaffirm the City’s commitment to protect and increase public housing in the local area; and

(ii)        request an urgent meeting to discuss how the NSW Government will implement a moratorium on the sale of public housing, how it will reform the previous Government’s Communities Plus policy, and how it will increase public housing in the local area. 

The motion was carried on the following show of hands –

Ayes (8)     The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Chan, Davis, Ellsmore, Kok, Scott, Scully and Weldon

Noes (2)     Councillors Gannon and Jarrett.

Motion carried.

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