Planning Commission Adjourns Consideration of Planning Scheme Amendment

Communique – Tasmanian Planning Commission, 17 February 2023

Hobart draft amendment PSA-22-1 – Visitor Accommodation

The Commission has published its decision on the above amendment. The Commission decision is to adjourn the matter sine die.

Decision Overview

The Tasmanian Planning Commission (the Commission) has determined that it should not proceed with an assessment of the proposed draft amendment to the Hobart Interim Planning Scheme 2015 (the planning scheme), draft amendment PSA-22-1 (the draft amendment).

If an assessment was undertaken and the proposed changes in the draft amendment were considered to have merit, the Commission is of the view that the changes would have no effect to the planning rules that apply in the municipal area of Hobart City in relation to the regulation of visitor accommodation, as is proposed by the Hobart City planning authority (the planning authority) in the draft amendment.

The Commission appreciates that the reasons for its decision are based on its understanding of the operation of what many would consider to be somewhat technical legal rules that apply to the operation of planning directives and interim planning schemes, rather than consideration of a contemporary planning policy issue in which is there is considerable apparent public interest.

For the reasons that follow, the Commission is not persuaded that the certified draft amendment or modifying the draft amendment to be a specific area plan (SAP) can overcome the legislative impediment that applies to a planning authority seeking to establish planning rules that are contrary to the provisions of Planning Directive No. 6 – Exemptions and Standards for Visitor Accommodation in Planning Schemes (PD 6).

The Commission considers that an appropriate decision on the assessment of draft amendment is to adjourn the matter sine die.

Read the full decision and reasons: Hobart draft amendment PSA-22-1 – Visitor Accommodation.

Media release – Ella Haddad MP, Shadow Housing Minister, 17 February 2023

Short-stay decision further exposes Liberals’ housing failures

Today’s Tasmanian Planning Commission decision on the short-stay accommodation sector is further evidence that the Liberal Government has dropped the ball when it comes to addressing Tasmania’s housing crisis.

The Government tried to shirk its responsibility to act on the issue, stating it was the responsibility of councils to make their own decisions on short-stay applications.

The commission’s ruling today confirms that Minister Jaensch provided incorrect and misleading advice, and that councils can’t act in a way that the state government said they could.

The Liberals need to act now to fix this short-stay stuff-up, and act at a state-wide level to regulate the short-stay market.

When will this government finally start taking responsibility for Tasmania’s housing crisis?

Critical issues such as housing should be a focus of Government, yet the Liberals continue to obsess about building a roofed football stadium in Hobart, rather than taking responsibility for putting a roof over the heads of Tasmanians.

A Labor government would put a pause on new whole home short-stay permits until Tasmania’s housing crisis subsides.

Labor in government would work with local councils to make sure the short-stay sector can continue to operate sensibly and sustainably, but not in a way that hampers the huge need to provide housing for Tasmanians.