b'APRIL 20255.5 Treasury Must StopWe need to build on the recent positive moves Over-Regulation to cut planning red tape by increasing zoning flexibility, we need to cut fees, taxes and charges When the Productivity Commissions call out theto lower new home prices, and we need to take a planning system as a key contributor to decliningfresh look at building regulation. Then weve got productivity in the construction sector, the plannerssome hope for reducing Sydneys housing prices. duck for cover. The Government has introduced a ten-year liability for major defects in apartment buildings (Class 2) Planners who work with the private sector towithout ensuring there is any insurance available navigate the regulatory quagmire are the firstfor that liability. Further, they have stood by and to highlight the duplicative requirements forwatched the market failure materialise without reports at both the strategic planning assessmentestablishing a fall-back government scheme (which phase, the site-specific development applicationexists for Class 1 separated dwellings under the assessment, the repetitive process of publicHome Building Compensation Fund run by ICARE).exhibition, the onerous obligations for design review, the contradictions within the Act, the5.7 Drive Cultural Changestatutory and non-statutory regulations, state and local planning controls. One area where the Minns NSW Government has led the pack is through the introduction of its The lack of Treasury oversight over the introductionHousing Delivery Authority. The new body is setting of new regulatory burdens is now costing thethe agenda for Councils to focus on housing supply. economy dearly. The Minister for Better RegulationRecommendation 5.1 alone will drive cultural in NSW has a plethora of other Ministerialchange, but more needs to be done.Responsibilities (Corrections, Trade, Building, Fair Trading, Science and Innovation) but isThere is a long way to go to overcome the not part of the Expenditure Review or Budgetinstinctive, knee-jerk rejection of economic reality, Committee of Cabinet. but Planning Minister Scully and Premier Minns are leading this fight. 5.6 Building Design and The success will be measured by the impact on Construction Regulationall the players in the planning system. From the Must be Slashed Court, to planning panels, to council assessors, the reduction of the need for reports and design The South Australian Labor Government hasreview processes, the adoption of greater flexibility led the charge to freeze all changes in Buildingon zoning and faster processes to ensure buildings Construction codes for 10 years. This position hascan be built and serviced. It is all about the also been adopted by the Federal Coalition in thenumbers and as of today, there is a mountain to lead up to the 2025 election.climb. The change that has flowed through the media and planning leaders is yet to show results, This is a strong precedent and one which isbut there is hope.UrbanIdeasgrowing in prominence with the Commonwealth Productivity Commissions derisory assessment of the analysis of financial cost associated with their changes. This position should be adopted.25'