The following is a transcript of the speech that I gave to council during the closing arguments for the Planning Scheme Amendments 2024.
This is my view of the evolution of the Planning Scheme Amendments:
Four years ago, Clare Stewart, the previous mayor, made a motion declaring a housing emergency in Noosa and she was supported unanimously by councillors. Staff was asked to find ways to remedy the situation.
Soon after, council investigated whether Airbnb or STAs were displacing our long-term rental market. Council prepared two reports showing a link between the housing crisis and the rise of Airbnb. Council began to curb the Airbnb approvals and began the process of creating Local Laws to regulate them.
Back to the issue of a housing crisis. Council embarked on two huge pieces of work; the comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment and the Noosa Housing Strategy 2022, which set the vision for the future housing in Noosa. In the thorough public consultation process there was overwhelming support for Noosa Council to take a role in creating affordable housing.
Councillors were part of this evolution and were unanimously supportive of the new strategy. One of the key statements was, ‘Noosa Council is committed to: Planning Scheme amendments and policy development that support real change and outcomes for genuine social, affordable and inclusive housing.’
I found the key elements of the housing strategy include:
• Stopping the spread of Airbnb in the hinterland and move to keep short term accommodation in the tourist zones, not in the residential zones.
• Mandated that new developments in medium and high-density zones include units, not single homes.
• Review tourist zones to consider if some may be more appropriate as high-density zones. This helps create more permanent housing vs tourist accommodation.
• Adding some incentives to developers to include 20 per cent social or affordable housing in larger developments.
The clear vision was more housing for residents and more housing in the best locations in Noosa like along the river foreshore. The best places in Noosa should not all be for tourists.
These elements were then to be integrated into the next round of Planning Scheme Amendments, which would give them force or effect. The (council) staff; Anita, Rowena, Glen, Michelle, Kim and others, put an enormous effort into drafting the amendments and the Mayor and Councillors were, again, brought on the journey with plenty of opportunity for input. Finally, the amendments were endorsed by council and sent to the state for sign-off in February 2023.
Then, we waited and waited.
While waiting, councillors drafted the Corporate Plan 2023-2028. In the drafting we, again, considered our new direction and instilled the vision of the Housing Strategy into the new Corporate Plan.
Theme 2.1: [Council will] ‘Facilitate greater housing choice which meets the changing needs of the community, improves liveability and affordability and includes partnering to increase provision of social and affordable housing.’
The corporate plan, which included the vision of the Housing Strategy, went out for public consultation and was then unanimously endorsed by council.
Finally, a year later in May 2024, the state signed off on the Planning Scheme Amendments and the amendments went out for public consultation. Noosa residents are very engaged with local issues and there were many hundreds of submissions and feedback. Staff had an enormous task of sorting it out and evolving the amendments to respond to the needs and wants of community.
In the meantime, the state also recognised the housing crisis and began investigating how it could remedy the situation. One thing the Labor Government could do is cut the red tape local councils use to stop development. Hence, the State Facilitated Development or SFD. Noosa was soon facing the prospect of high rise development.
Then, the Labor Government lost the election and the LNP said it would not impose the SFD upon Noosa and would support development within the planning scheme. Noosa absolutely dodged a bullet at this time. However, the new government clearly supports the population projections for growth and supports increased housing in Noosa.
So here we are today, contemplating the vote on these Planning Scheme Amendments. The way I see it there are three possible outcomes, in general.
We pass these amendments and prove Noosa is doing its job in supporting its own housing objectives, which are consistent with State mandates and legislation, and the state will leave us alone. This is path we are hoping for.
We do not pass the amendments and hope the state does not impose a SFD-like measure which will override our planning scheme.
The state comes in with a new type of SFDs, overrides our planning scheme and we face un-Noosa like development.
What is going to happen?
I support these amendments which we have been evolving for two and a half years. We, the councillors, have been very involved with them every step of the way (except the new councillors). I acknowledged that there will be elements which may be unpopular with portions of the community. I wrestled with this as I knew this day would come. As councillors we must make hard decisions. I support our long crafted and publicly supported vision for the future of Noosa. I support these amendments.
(These are the views of Tom Wegener and may not represent the views on other councillors or Noosa Council.)
