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The Young Liberals have welcomed Labor’s approach to transport-oriented developments to boost density.Credit:Dion Georgopoulos

The motion also urged the “NSW Parliamentary Liberal opposition and local councillors to work collaboratively with the government to deliver on NSW’s housing targets”.

NSW needs to significantly ramp up the number of homes built each year if it is to reach its ambitious target of 75,000 new dwellings a year for five years,but the state government is facing fierce resistance from some councils.

Young Liberal president Chanum Torres said housing was the chief issue for young people across the state,arguing younger voters would turn on political parties that ignored the housing crisis.

“We see the Young Liberal movement as having an important role in ensuring the Liberal Party platform reflects the aspirations of our generation,” Torres said.

The Young Liberals’ stance followed Opposition Leader Mark Speakman’s warning this week “that Labor’s approach to housing isn’t working” and description of the government’s planning reforms as “falling apart”.

Speakman has demanded more community consultation to “identify suitable locations for extra housing” and reduced migration levels. He has also vowed to reintroduce former premier Dominic Perrottet’s land tax for first home buyers if re-elected.

The Young Liberals’ motion also condemned the Minns government for axing Perrottet’s land tax,which was one of Labor’s first acts when it was elected last year.

Instead,Labor introduced a new scheme in which stamp duty exemptions for first-time home buyers were lifted from $650,000 to $800,000 and concessions from $800,000 to $1 million.

Liberal MP Chris Rath,the opposition whip in the upper house,last year launched an assault against “not in my backyard” Baby Boomers who oppose new housing,and urged his Liberal colleagues not to be swayed by their vocal protests.

“The reality is that you’re not going to lose your seat because of 10 letters that you receive[about] a development from a few NIMBYs that don’t want it to go ahead,” Rath told parliament in a late-night speech.

“But you will lose your seat if only one in five Gen Z and one in four Millennials are voting for the Liberal Party because they can’t afford to buy a home. That’s how you’re going to lose your seat.”

Findings from the Resolve Political Monitor,conducted for theHerald by research firm Resolve Strategic,released this week were the first public test of the government’s housing policy,which was announced just before Christmas.

The results showed that43 per cent of voters support Labor’s policy while only one-quarter oppose Minns’ push to boost housing density across the suburbs. About 30 per cent remain undecided.

It also has support from 47 per cent of “other voters”,which includes the Greens and independents.

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