Mr. Ken Spratt:

Health, housing and climate change have been defined as the three most important priorities for the Government. Needless to say, housing is a Government priority and everything that we do has housing in mind. It is also important to mention that we have the national planning framework and it sets out the national strategic outcomes that we want to achieve. Compact growth is one that is important. Enhanced regional accessibility is also important.

Strengthened rural economies and communities are important. Also, sustainable mobility is highlighted as a national strategic outcome, which is extremely important. The unlocking of land is something we definitely want to do. However, the preference we have in view of our climate commitments is that we would unlock as much land as possible using transport-led development. In other words, sustainable mobility projects rather than roads. Given the housing crisis, it is important that we unlock land, not only with sustainable mobility projects but around where there are existing transport routes. There is a strong focus on unlocking as much land as possible. That applies throughout the country. It is an extremely important objective with which we are grabbling along with the health and climate changes crises.