Planning Bill Passes House of Assembly

The Liberal Government’s legislation to make Tasmania’s planning system fairer, faster, cheaper and simpler, has today passed the House of Assembly.

This is an important first step and a key part of our long-term Plan for Tasmania to drive investment and create jobs.

This first phase of our planning reform agenda brings to a speedy conclusion the previous Labor-Green Government’s lengthy, drawn out interim planning scheme process, which would have taken at least another four years to complete and still wouldn’t have delivered state-wide consistency.

The Government, through the Planning Taskforce, consulted with key stakeholders, listened to feedback, and the final Bill secures the maintenance of the public interest in the assessment process for interim schemes while delivering a streamlined process for dealing with representations.

The interim scheme process will be finalised at the one consistent level across the state to provide the platform on which to implement the state-wide planning scheme, with further legislation to be introduced next year.

For too long Tasmania’s overly complex planning system has been a handbrake to the economy. Our reforms will streamline approvals, and introduce a truly consistent statewide planning scheme to provide the consistency and certainty that investment requires.

The Liberal Government is sending a clear message that Tasmania is once again open for business.
Peter Gutwein, Minister for Planning and Local Government