2024-08-30
The ACT Greens have announced they will set city limits and use the planning system to tackle the housing crisis, climate crisis and the cost of living.
“The way we shape our city shapes our lives,” said Jo Clay MLA, ACT Greens planning spokesperson, recontesting her seat in Ginninderra.
“With the right system in place we can deliver great quality homes, in well-connected suburbs, with easy access to services while looking after our local environment.
“The other parties want you to believe that solving the housing crisis means concreting over all our green space and developing on the outskirts of Canberra.
“That wrecks our environment, locks in heat islands, and it’s expensive for the government to build all those new roads, transmission lines and services to support the sprawl.
“We’re in a cost of living crisis and living on the outskirts costs Canberrans more time and money. It locks people into paying for a car and petrol for every trip they take.
“Transport is responsible for over 60 percent of climate pollution in the ACT. A more compact, convenient city is part of our fight against climate change, the housing crisis and the cost of living,” Ms Clay said.
The ACT Greens will:
- Set city limits
- Encourage Canberra to grow in, not out, with improved zoning
- Protect green space and enhance nature in the city
- Deliver vastly more public and community housing
- Support more density around public transport, local shops and community facilities
- Leverage community knowledge for great local outcomes
- Respectfully partner with First Nations communities
- Use social planning to deliver spaces that improve wellbeing, including for people with a disability
- Establish a Government Landscape Architect
- Resource and enforce the planning system to improve quality and integrity.
Deputy Leader of the ACT Greens, Rebecca Vassarotti, said the Greens reject the dichotomy set up by Labor that we can either build housing or protect the environment, instead saying we need to do both.
“For too long, construction on the edges of our suburbs has pushed many native ecosystems into increasingly precarious situations. And for too long, Labor has imposed rules restricting homes from being built inside our current footprint,” said Ms Vassarotti.
“The ACT Greens’ plan to build more homes inside our current footprint will mean we can deliver change in Canberra that integrates the environment throughout our suburbs, making our city a far more liveable place to call home.
“Canberrans moving into a new townhouse or apartment under the Greens plan will be immediately well connected, with access to parks, public transport, shops and schools as soon as the home is built.”
Adele Sinclair, ACT Greens candidate for Ginninderra, said Canberra has an opportunity to lead the way in innovative urban design and development.
"Setting city limits and building new homes within those limits enables people to live affordably and conveniently. It fosters vibrant communities with easier access to jobs, services, and green spaces, enhancing quality of life for everyone.
"Keeping new development within compact suburbs cuts carbon by reducing car dependence. Transport is over 60% of the ACT’s carbon emissions, so this shift is vital for Canberra to become a truly sustainable city, where public transport and active travel lead the way in fighting climate change.
"By setting an urban growth boundary, we create a win-win for our communities and our planet. It safeguards our precious bushland and natural habitats, while ensuring that our new developments are more sustainable and resilient over the long term.
The details of our plan for a connected, affordable Canberra are available on the ACT Greens website at https://greens.org.au/act/policies/liveablecanberra.