NSW Department of Planning Job Cuts Amid Housing Strategy Development
Amid the development of the NSW housing strategy, the NSW Department of Planning is undergoing significant job cuts as executives fight to retain their positions. This move aligns with an election promise made by the Minns government to curb the rising costs of executive salaries in the public sector.
Despite criticisms that the timing is unfavorable due to ongoing work on the state’s housing strategy, the decision is seen as an opportunity to eliminate underperforming high-paid executives. Key figures involved in shaping the government’s housing reforms may soon face job losses.
Experienced staff at the Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure are at risk of being let go as the government moves to fulfill its commitment made during the Labor election. Senior planning personnel are currently engaged in a competitive process to secure their positions.
As the 2023 state election approaches, Premier Chris Minns has pledged to restructure the public service by reducing senior executive roles by 15% and implementing a two-year pay freeze for the remaining executives.
The commitment fulfills a pledge made by Chris Minns during the previous state election. The original intention was to streamline inefficient agencies and redirect resources towards vital services. However, the initial plan aimed to achieve this solely through natural attrition, without undertaking significant departmental restructuring. This occurred before Mr. Minns endorsed the ambitious National Housing Accord in August. According to the accord, New South Wales (NSW) must construct 75,000 new residences annually for five years, a goal the Premier acknowledged in January would not be reached. Scott Farlow, the opposition’s spokesperson for housing and planning, emphasized the importance of maintaining proper planning protocols, especially during a housing crisis. He criticized the government for initiating what he referred to as the most extensive rezoning effort in Australia’s history.
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Anticipated Reductions in the Policy Division for NSW Housing Strategy Jobs
One of the two branches under the Department of Planning will face a significant impact, particularly concerning NSW housing strategy jobs.
The team responsible for evaluating important projects in New South Wales is anticipated to remain mostly unaffected. However, there are projected reductions in staff within the policy division that played a key role in developing the NSW Government’s prominent housing strategies, known as the planning, land use strategy, and housing team, or “PLUSH.”
NSW housing strategy jobs
involves the identical group that participated in the “transport-oriented development (TOD) program,” striving to implement housing modifications in low and mid-rise buildings to enhance density near key transport hubs.
Many employees anticipate a reduction in the number of director positions, with expectations that a significant portion of the 14 executive director positions within the PLUSH team will be eliminated.
NSW Housing Strategy Jobs Impact: Sydney Racecourse Transformation
The NSW government has unveiled plans to replace the Sydney racecourse with 25,000 homes as part of the approved Metro West project. This decision comes after a period of uncertainty surrounding cost and timeline blowouts.
Updates on NSW Housing Strategy Jobs
Negotiations are currently underway among executive directors, with a decision anticipated by Monday. Directors may receive news regarding their roles as early as next week, as formal consultations are set to commence. The department and planning minister’s office have refrained from disclosing specifics on the number of positions to be eliminated or the affected teams.
Although some ongoing positions will be discontinued, the majority are expected to be fixed-term contracts that will not be extended. It is important to note that staff on award wages will remain unaffected, as the reductions are targeted solely at executive roles.
Efforts by the Government to Minimize Expenses
The NSW president of the Planning Institute of Australia, Sue Weatherley, expressed concerns that eliminating a substantial number of policy executives could lead to a city gradually developing without a defined path. This move could potentially impact the NSW housing strategy jobs.
Sue Weatherley expresses concerns regarding the impact of budget cuts on the planning department’s role in the state’s housing reforms, as highlighted by the Planning Institute of Australia.
In a statement, Ms. Weatherley noted delays in crucial document delivery by the policy team, including masterplans for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) precincts and a metropolitan strategy outlining the rationale behind the selection of certain suburbs for increased density.
She proposed a more flexible approach to the 15 per cent target, suggesting varying percentages for different departments based on their reliance on executives to implement key strategies.
The reduction in senior planning staff coincides with the Labor government’s efforts to control escalating public sector executive salaries. For instance, the average salary of the 267 directors in the department last year was $233,833, with executive directors earning an average of $311,126.
Following the split of the Department of Planning and Environment in January, creating the Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure (DPHI) and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water (DCCEEW), a functional review was conducted to establish a more efficient operating model aligned with budget constraints and government requirements.
Industry insiders view the structural reorganization as an opportunity to eliminate inefficiencies, such as underperforming executives and redundant positions resulting from the absorption of the Greater Cities Commission into the department earlier in the year.
Enhancing NSW Housing Strategy Jobs through ‘Internal Recalibration’
The Property Council of Australia is in favor of the “personnel shake-up,” advocating for increased recruitment within the implementation and assessment teams to expedite the processing of intricate applications.
Support for “Internal Recalibration” in NSW Housing Strategy Jobs
Support for the “internal recalibration” in NSW housing strategy jobs is backed by Katie Stevenson, the NSW executive director of the Property Council. Stevenson, who has a background in the department, advocates for ensuring that the right skills and resources are allocated to the appropriate areas.
Stevenson believes that increasing the workforce to evaluate applications under the new planning reforms is a practical step. The industry is pushing for additional funding in the budget to enhance the capabilities of assessment staff and to upgrade the planning portal.
Siobhan Callinan, the acting assistant general secretary of the Public Service Association, expressed the union’s general support for reducing senior executive positions. However, there are concerns that these changes could lead to increased workloads for award-wage staff reporting to them.
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How Politics Could Impact NSW Housing Strategy Jobs in Your Sydney Suburb
The state government’s commitment to the Metro West project will see the Sydney racecourse transformed into a residential area with 25,000 homes, aligning with the NSW housing strategy and creating new job opportunities.
NSW housing strategy jobs
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