Getting Housing Right: Why it Matters?

Unpacking the Housing Crisis without the spin

When: Wednesday 7th August, 2024

Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Venue: NSW Parliament House Theatrette, Macquarie Street, Sydney
The Theatrette is located near the front foyer within the NSW Parliament House. Proceed down a set of stairs and you will find it

Opening

MC - Joe O'Donoghue, Sydney commentator

Host - The Hon. Alister Henskens SC MP

Speaker Program

Dr Elizabeth Farrelly - Well-known Writer, Columnist and Architect
Dr Elizabeth Farrelly is also the presenter of The Sydneyist radio show and founder and CEO of The Better Cities Initiative, empowering citizen-led design for healthy neighbourhoods. She is currently cities columnist for The Saturday Paper and for Architecture AU and has published several books including Killing Sydney; the fight for a city’s soul (2012).

Dr Peter Sheridan AM BDS MDS FICD FADI - Educator, Professional Photographer and Historian
Dr Peter Sheridan AM is the chairperson of the Potts Point Preservation Group, author of the award-winning book 'Sydney Art Deco' and a clinical senior lecturer at Sydney University.

Michael Pascoe - Finance & Economic Commentator

Michael Pascoe is one of Australia's most experienced and thoughtful finance and economics commentators with five decades in newspapers, broadcasting and online journalism. Most recently, he has been contributing editor for The New Daily, writing at length there and in The Saturday Paper on the housing crisis, with particular emphasis on what he calls the crime of governments deserting public housing.

Saul Deane - Urban Sustainability Campaigner
With degrees in architecture and law, Saul's legal and architectural practice experience crosses the spatial, representational and governance dimensions involved in Urban Sustainability. He also lectures in Communications, and has taught in Landscape and Architecture at UTS and UNSW. His PhD research in the 'mechanics of public foreshore dispossession within Sydney', has allowed him to develop his interest in natural and early Australian history. Saul's campaign focus is on Sydney’s Koalas and Green Spaces.

Sharon Veale - CEO & Partner GML Heritage
Sharon Veale is a Partner and the Chief Executive Officer at GML Heritage. She is a public historian and urban planner with over 20 years’ experience in Aboriginal and historic cultural heritage planning, assessment, management and conservation for public and private sector clients.

The Hon. Scott Farlow MLC - Shadow Planning Minister
Scott Farlow was born and raised in Sydney's Inner West. Educated at Homebush Public School and Sydney Technical High School. Currently residing in West Pymble. He was the Mayor of Strathfield Municipal Council (2007-2008). Councillor, Strathfield Municipal Council (2004-2008). Member of Lions Club Burwood (2002-2004). Parish Councillor, St Andrew's Anglican Church Strathfield (2001-2002). Member, Law Society of NSW (2014-Present). Member, Sydney Institute (2011-Present).

About the event
The event is being organised by Save Greater Sydney Coalition (SGSC)

SGSC was formed in response to the Minns Labor Government’s proposed planning reforms for low and mid rise housing in Greater Sydney, Central Coast, Lower Hunter, Greater Newcastle, and Illawarra Shoalhaven regions (the Six Cities Regions) as well as the TOD SEPP’s - that will have a devastating effect on our city.

SGSC is not against development. We are for strategically located, large scale government investment in public housing. We are shocked and disappointed that the NSW Government is only asking for 2% affordable housing in the Tod SEPP - this means 98% unaffordable!! We are concerned about affordable/public housing, equity, heritage, green space, biodiversity and appropriate infrastructure for developments.

We are also concerned about the affordable housing being bought by developers and being turned into luxury accommodation. Potts Point in Sydney being a high profile example. We are concerned that no-one is addressing the other key factors that could help turn the ship around - including negative gearing and other tax concessions, airbnb, increased population growth, foreign ownership and developers land banking.

We are putting on this Parliamentary Forum to elevate the discussion and highlight the concerns of the one-size fits all developer driven rezoning changes.

We want to unpack this housing crisis without the spin.

Follow SGSC Facebook HERE

Enquires: David Reynolds, Convenor, Save Greater Sydney Alliance (SGSA), 0434 318 782