Former NSW premiers face off in debate over higher density housing in Sydney
Two of the NSW's former premiers have waded into the debate over higher density housing in Sydney. Bob Carr has declared the great Australian dream has been overtaken by reality while Dominic Perrotet says the surburban backyard is far from dead.
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00:00 They're from different sides of politics and from very different eras.
00:06 Many of you weren't born when I stepped down.
00:09 But they've both shared the same challenge, trying to build enough homes for Sydney's
00:14 growing population.
00:15 The only way we can bring down prices is to get more apartments on the market.
00:21 Last year when this debate was...
00:22 What about the Great Australian Dream?
00:24 Well it's been overtaken by reality.
00:27 The former Liberal Premier backs the government's plans to zone for apartments around new and
00:32 existing transport lines.
00:33 It makes complete, complete sense.
00:36 But the father of seven says suburbia as we know it must survive.
00:41 So people have a backyard and a front yard for their kids to run around.
00:45 And he says his successor should be cut some slack after admitting this year's housing
00:50 targets won't be met.
00:51 It takes time to ramp up.
00:53 I don't think they should be criticised for that.
00:56 Some of the loudest criticisms are coming from councils, some of them with Labor mayors.
01:01 And they're just as worried about plans to fast track duplexes, terraces and semis in
01:05 low density areas.
01:07 Those relatively modest changes are lawful and legal in every other city across Australia
01:13 and most parts of the world.
01:15 No one's talking about our local schools, no one's talking about our local parks, our
01:19 swimming pools, our trees.
01:22 No one's talking about the roads and the infrastructure that's needed.
01:25 I think the mayors are out of touch with their own public opinion.
01:29 Well Bob Carr was also the Premier who said that Sydney was full.
01:32 So I'm not going to take lessons from Bob Carr when it comes to planning.
01:35 Almost 20 years since he left office and Sydney's growing pains have only gotten worse.
01:40 [BLANK_AUDIO]