The Planning System Reforms Bill 2025, designed to modernise the planning system and accelerate the delivery of homes and jobs across NSW, has been stalled following multiple amendments from the Greens - each securing only six supporters in the Upper House.
The Bill is aimed at simplifying planning processes, cutting approval delays, and supporting the delivery of new homes, jobs and infrastructure to create a faster, fairer and modern planning system for NSW.
Sydney is the second least affordable city in the world and twice as many young people are leaving NSW as are arriving.
The Bill has received overwhelming support from stakeholders, as well as the Legislative Assembly but its passage in the Legislative Council has been unnecessarily delayed with amendments that garnered little support.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:
"These reforms are essential to getting more homes built faster and modernising the planning system. The Greens are blocking the very changes needed to improve housing affordability in NSW.
"It's clear that there is no support in the parliament for any of the Greens amendments yet they continue to delay the Bill's progress, adding uncertainty for communities and industry.
"It's incredibly disappointing to see political point scoring that calls into question the motivation of our dedicated public servants and planning professionals who helped develop these reforms.
"Every day of delay, as a result of the Greens playing parliamentary games, is another day where it remains too hard to build a home, do a reno, attract job creating investment and improve environmental outcomes. And it's young people who end up paying the price."
