Australia’s peak planning body has called on the newly-minted Abbott Ministry to make urban and regional planning a centrepiece of its productivity agenda.
The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) made the call following the swearing in of the new Cabinet and Outer Ministry today, which saw three senior Ministers handed portfolios with planning at their core.
Welcoming the new Government PIA Chief Executive Officer Kirsty Kelly said strategic planning would be a critical footing for the new Government’s policies on productivity, efficiency and economic development in Australia’s cities and regions.
“The Abbott Government has nailed its colours to the mast on planning for urban and regional development,” Ms Kelly said.
“And the Prime Minister has signalled his personal commitment to planning by appointing three senior Ministers to planning-related portfolios.
“His Deputy Prime Minister Warren has carriage of planning matters through his Transport and Regional Development portfolio. The Deputy Prime Minister is acutely aware how important transport, infrastructure and planning are to country towns and cities, having been Minister for Transport and Regional Services in the Howard Government.
“Another very senior member of Cabinet – Attorney-General George Brandis – will also have a hand in planning the future of our cities and towns, as his portfolio includes strategic planning to protect communities from natural hazards and to help them bounce back after a disaster.
“PIA will also look to engage with Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt whose previous Shadow Portfolios of environment, heritage, urban water and climate have him well placed to manage the complexities of cities policy.
“We are particularly keen to work with Minister Hunt to implement the proposed Integrated Planning Commission that will oversee long-term plans for Australia’s major cities.
“This is a robust line-up of policy makers who will serve the nation well in planning matters. We look forward to working with each of them to build sturdy links between planning and the Government’s productivity and efficiency agendas.”
The Planning Institute has written to each of these Ministers, as well their Parliamentary Secretaries and the Prime Minster outlining ways PIA can support the Government’s agenda. PIA advocated a pre-election platform that called for strategic planning and growth management for cities to be front-and-centre in national productivity initiatives. It called for a stronger role for Infrastructure Australia and revised administrative arrangements for cities policy. The new Government has indicated its support of these initiatives, and the Planning Institute has pledged to assist in their implementation.
“The proper management of growth in our cities and regional communities is vital, as poor planning is a forerunner to productivity blockages,” Ms Kelly said.
“But the reverse is equally true: planning is a critical tool for driving productivity. If you get the strategy right early on, you can eliminate red and green tape obstacles before they emerge, and shape the future development of communities so they can keep doing what they do best.”
PIA Chief Executive Officer Kirsty Kelly
