Tasmania is now on the cusp of having Australia’s first ever single, statewide planning scheme, with the passage today of legislation establishing the Tasmanian Planning Scheme through the crucial third reading in the Legislative Council.
The Hodgman Liberal Government promised to implement a single state-wide planning scheme to unlock Tasmania’s economic potential, create jobs and maintain the momentum that is building in the economy.
The new scheme will be faster, fairer, simpler and cheaper, boosting confidence for those looking to invest and expand. It will provide the right platform for more economic development and ultimately create more jobs.
In the existing second-rate scheme there is only about 15 per cent consistency across Tasmania’s 29 councils in the three regions.
The new laws are the result of extensive consultation with major stakeholders including the TFGA, the Master Builders Tasmania, Local Government Association, the HIA, and many other individuals with extensive planning and legal experience.
The Planning Reform Taskforce is currently consulting on the final tranche of State Planning Provisions which are part of the consistent set of statewide planning rules which the legislation has facilitated.
I am expecting the Planning Reform Taskforce to provide to me by the end of this year, Tasmania’s first ever set of statewide planning rules for consideration ahead of an extensive public consultative process through the Tasmanian Planning Commission early in 2016.
The government’s new planning system is on track to be up and running in full by 2017, one year ahead of schedule.
Peter Gutwein, Minister for Planning and Local Government
