Hong Kong policy focus shifts to Northern Metropolis and lawmaker salaries

Ahead of the upcoming Policy Address and a new five-year development plan, discussions in Hong Kong are focusing on the Northern Metropolis and Legislative Council administrative matters.

Regarding the Northern Metropolis, political figures and think tanks are advocating for improved living standards to achieve a better work-life balance for residents. Proposals include increasing the minimum per capita living area for public and subsidized housing from 7 square meters to over 10 square meters. Additionally, there are suggestions to lower the down payment requirement for young buyers using the White Form to 5% to ease the burden of home ownership.

Separately, Legislative Council members are expected to receive a salary increase of approximately 2% starting next month, following the adjustment mechanism based on the Consumer Price Index. This would bring monthly salaries to roughly 111,000 HKD. Discussions also touched upon the internal reporting requirements for lawmakers, with some noting the challenges of quantifying legislative performance and the shift toward behind-the-scenes lobbying in the current political environment.