Planning Matters Alliance Tasmania (PMAT) surveyed 120 candidates for the upcoming House of Assembly election. 60 responded. The text of their survey is reproduced below along with a summary of the responses.
Where Do Your Election Candidates Stand on State Planning Issues?
A state election is being held on 19 July 2025 for all House of Assembly seats.
As part of our election work, PMAT surveyed candidates on key planning issues — because land use and development decisions shape the future of our homes, neighbourhoods, environment, and economy.
Of the 161 candidates announced by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission, PMAT was able to obtain contact details for 120 candidates. Several emails unfortunately bounced, and where contact details were missing, we reached out to party/group contacts with a request to forward the survey link.
Five substantive questions were asked of candidates (numbering starts after basic background information questions):
5. On the 7th of February 2025 the Tasmanian Government announced it would be legislating to further limit third-party planning appeal rights. This would mean that the community (i.e. the third party) would either be removed or very limited in its right to undertake a planning appeal.
Do you support the removal (or weakening) of third-party planning appeal rights?
6. Tasmania’s planning system is incomplete as it lacks a set of state-level policies to guide development and decision-making, leading to inconsistencies and undermining confidence in the planning process, while putting at risk many of the values that make Tasmania a special place to live and visit.State Policies provide for a whole of Government approach to decision making but we now have only three of these State Policies.
Do you support creating a full suite of State Policies?
7. The Tasmanian Planning Policies that should be part of the strategic framework for the planning system have been in draft form since June 2024.
Do you support completing the Tasmanian Planning Policies?
8. Tasmania’s three regional land use strategies are all out of date. These strategies inform the application and review of the statewide planning scheme in particular to ensure that land use zoning at a regional level keeps up the needs of the community and business.
Do you support finalising the review of Tasmania’s three regional land use strategies without delay and without further governmental interference?
9. After a decade-long-delay, Tasmania’s State of the Environment Report was released in 2024. The report paints an alarming picture of an environment under significant strain and facing multiple threats. Of the 29 environmental categories assessed, 16 were found to be getting worse and 11 were in poor condition. It also found that much of Tasmania’s environmental legislation is very old and has not been reviewed for decades.The report recommends that the Tasmanian Government review all resource development and planning legislation, with priority given to the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993, State Policies and Projects Act 1993 and Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994.
Do you support such a review of resource development and planning legislation?
The survey ran from Monday 30 June to midnight Saturday 6 July, with reminder emails sent to non-respondents on 4 July.
Why is this important?
Planning affects all of us — and every inch of Tasmania. It shapes our housing, our transport, our towns — and determines what parts of our environment are protected or developed. These decisions shape our communities and our future.
This election, the next government will set the direction for Tasmania’s land use, housing, infrastructure, and environment for decades to come. That’s why it’s vital to know where your candidates stand.
View PMAT’s survey results below or online here
