Fixing the housing crisis is a top priority for this Government, but it did not begin when we were elected in March 2023. It was predicted and preventable, and it is the direct result of decades of inaction by State and Federal Liberals. In 2004 the Howard Government was warned loud and clear that housing affordability was slipping out of reach for many working Australians. Recently released Cabinet papers reveal it was advised to review negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions, which fuelled investor speculation and drove up prices. The Productivity Commission urged reform. The evidence was there but, instead of taking action, the Liberals did nothing—as they are very good at doing. Property speculation spiralled, locking an entire generation out of home ownership.

Fast-forward two decades, and we are dealing with the fallout. Home ownership rates have plummeted, rents are at record highs and the supply of affordable homes is not keeping up with demand. In New South Wales, and especially in my patch in south-west Sydney, the housing crisis means young people are unable to get a foot in the door. Some parts of Sydney have resisted new housing, blocking developments and rezoning, while south and north-west Sydney communities like mine in Leppington are taking on the bulk of the State's housing growth. It is not just about meeting demand; it is about fairness. Every community must do its part to tackle the housing crisis. With major high-rise projects planned in Leppington and Edmondson Park, thousands of new homes will ease the crisis. But we cannot do it alone. Growth must be shared across Sydney, and that is why the Minns Labor Government is stepping in to fix the housing mess that the Liberals left behind.

Under the previous Liberal Government, there was a plethora of alphabet soup organisations that accomplished nothing—agencies with overlapping responsibilities, no accountability and little to show for their existence. Instead of fixing the problem, they buried it under a pile of bureaucracy and red tape. That is why we have established the Housing Delivery Authority [HDA]—a single, focused agency with the power to fast-track approvals for major housing projects. The HDA is cutting through red tape and delivering more homes near transport, schools and jobs, so people can get where they need to go without relying on cars. That means higher density housing near train stations in areas like Leppington and Edmondson Park, and perhaps along the new $1 billion Fifteenth Avenue transit corridor, which will make life easier for commuters and families.

We are also fixing social and affordable housing after years of neglect. We are partnering with community housing providers to build thousands of new, affordable homes. They will not be just numbers on a spreadsheet; they will be real homes for real people, close to services, jobs and transport. New planning reforms will require a percentage of all major developments to include affordable housing—no more unchecked luxury developments pricing out local families. We are making sure that communities remain diverse and inclusive. Under the Liberals, renters were treated as an afterthought. Rents soared while protections got weaker. Now families will not be forced out just so landlords can charge more. We are also rolling out a portable bonds scheme, meaning renters will not need to scrape together thousands of dollars every time they move.

For too long, south-west Sydney has done the heavy lifting while other parts of Sydney refused to change. That is simply not fair. Every community needs to step up and be part of the solution, not just Leppington and the north-west. That is why we are ensuring that new housing targets are met across all of Sydney. The HDA is working with councils to identify underutilised land and fast-track approvals in high-opportunity areas. It is also why we are ensuring that State-owned land—like underused government buildings and sites—is repurposed for housing where appropriate. Instead of sitting vacant or being sold off to the highest bidder, those sites will deliver more homes for more families.

The Liberals had plenty of chances to fix the current crisis. Instead, at both State and Federal levels, they were asleep at the wheel. They let house prices spiral, cut funding to social housing and created layers of bureaucratic agencies that employed plenty of their mates but did little else. Instead of tackling the problem, they made it worse. They oversaw years of stagnation while housing approvals slowed, infrastructure did not keep pace and investors were given free rein as families were left behind. The Minns Labor Government is fixing this mess. It is cutting red tape and making the housing market fairer and more sustainable, because having a place to call home is not a privilege; it is a basic right. We are making sure everyone has a fair shot at finding a home they can afford.