Single Statewide Planning Scheme will take the local out of local government planning
The Tasmanian Conservation Trust is gravely concerned that the state government’s proposed Single Statewide Planning Scheme will weaken the power of local councils and local communities in relation to planning decisions and create a system where the minister and lobbyists for big corporations will hold most of the power.
The TCT has made a submission on the Draft Land Use Planning and Approvals (Tasmanian Planning Scheme) Amendment Bill 2015 which is proposed by the state government to create the Single Statewide Planning Scheme.
It is understood that the Bill will be tabled in the Spring session of the state parliament. The TCT is a member of the Environmental and Historic Heritage Consultative Committee established by the Tasmanian Planning Taskforce to advise on the development of the Statewide Planning Scheme.
“The true extent of the proposed changes have been hidden from the Tasmanian public and most fair minded Tasmanians would probably be very shocked to know just how much power will be taken away from local councils and communities,” said TCT Director Peter McGlone.
“What is proposed is a massive shift of power from locally elected councils, creating and administering planning schemes with input from local communities, to one where unelected officials, lobbyists and especially the minister for local government control almost everything.
“The impact of this change is that we will lose the local from local planning schemes, resulting in locally important environmental values and amenity not being recognised in the planning schemes and not being protected.
“Local communities will lose the capacity to have locally important places and environmental values recognised in planning schemes and may end up having towns and landscapes looking the same as the rest of the state or other states.
“The consultation process over these very significant changes has been appalling, with the state government not giving us the whole picture to comment on which is highly dishonest.
“How can we decide if there is sufficient potential for local planning controls when the guidelines that will determine this have not been released for comment?
“Even if local provisions are proposed that match existing community expectations, the minister can over ride these at any time, even without advice from the Tasmanian Planning Commission. The ministers powers are extraordinary.
“The core problem with the government’s approach is that they have never told the community what the problem with the current planning system is before deciding that the single planning scheme is the solution.
“The government should have asked the community what they think the problems are and the options for fixing them without arrogantly dictating that the single scheme is the answer.
“There are many problems with local government that can be fixed without having a single planning scheme,” Mr McGlone concluded.
The key recommendation the TCT made in response to the draft legislation are:
• Until our concerns have been addressed we cannot support the proposed Single Statewide Planning Scheme and we advise the state government to cease the process immediately and restart consultation.
• A key part of the consultation process is to ask the community what the relative power should be of elected local councillors, the minister and the Tasmanian Planning Commission.
• Before progressing with any significant changes to Tasmania’s planning system the potential impacts of changes on local communities and the environment needs to be thoroughly assessed and community views obtained and considered.
• If the LUPA Amendment Bill is progressed in its current or similar form, it should be amended by removing any potential for the Minister to approve the State Planning Provisions with “modifications of the Minister’s own motion”.
• The LUPA Amendment Bill should not be progressed until the community are provided with the draft guidelines for preparation and amendment of Local Planning Provisions.
• The LUPA Amendment Bill proposal to reduce the statutory time fame for permitted use and development from 28 to 21 days is opposed.
• Pete Godfrey in Comments: I fear that this is a slippery slope. Councils will not have much to do, they won’t really have any input into what their shires look like and no control over what buildings or developments occur. So the next step is to say “oh we don’t need councils they are just another cost to the taxpayer. Then bye-bye councils and all control goes to the highest donors to the State and Federal Government. Of course as Mr Hayward points out there was and probably still is a lot of council stacking. With the woodchippers gone there are still the real estate agents and those who are happy to use council to build their own political profile on the way to State government seats.
• Stephan in Comments: Fear That’s the key. Sow fear in to the community. Make males feel emasculated and make females concerned for the babies they don’t yet have. Do it!!! The opening paragraph I read said that it (a State Planning Scheme) would take the “local” from local planning. What a crock!!. Or, rather, what a misleading statement …
