Liberal Senator Questions Party's Support for New Developments

Andrew Bragg, the shadow assistant minister for home ownership, has criticized members of the Liberal Party for fostering a "not-in-my-back-yard" (NIMBY) mentality that hinders the expansion of housing stock in metropolitan areas. Speaking on the Australian Politics podcast, Bragg emphasized the need for the party to embrace development and supply as essential solutions to the ongoing housing crisis. He expressed concern that some colleagues in New South Wales were aligning with NIMBY sentiments, which he believes is detrimental to addressing the housing shortage. Bragg pointed out that resistance to new real estate developments in established suburbs is prevalent among some Liberals, yet he insists that such developments are crucial for solving the housing supply issue. He warned that failure to build new homes would ultimately impact those opposing development, as they would bear the consequences of the housing crisis. He also suggested that personal motivations might be influencing some of the obstruction to housing initiatives. In addition to internal party dynamics, Bragg highlighted external factors contributing to the housing problem, including the controversial Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), which has faced scrutiny for alleged links to organized crime and its role in escalating construction costs. Furthermore, Bragg addressed the NSW Liberal Party's significant operational failure in missing the candidate nomination deadline for upcoming local government elections, resulting in nearly 140 Liberals being unable to run. Despite these challenges, he dismissed fears that the review process could undermine moderate influence within the party, asserting that it would not lead to catastrophic outcomes.