A public meeting in Launceston last night called on Planning Minister Peter Gutwein to immediately release the report of the Tasmanian Planning Commission into the draft State Planning Provisions, when he receives it later this week (Friday 9th).
The Planning Commission has been considering the draft State Planning Provisions and associated public submissions since earlier in the year. It will hand a report and recommendations on the draft Provisions to Planning Minister Peter Gutwein on Friday. Under legislation, Minister Gutwein is not compelled to release the report, nor accept its recommendations. A decision on the final provisions will be made by the Minister in due course.
“The Statewide Planning Scheme and its provisions are troubling Tasmanians because of the reduction in protection for environment, heritage and amenity, the weakening of assessment rigour and proposals to cut out community engagement in planning decisions,” said Sophie Underwood, convenor of the Freycinet Action Network and a speaker at last night’s Launceston public meeting.
“In the interest of transparency, Minister Gutwein should immediately release the Planning Commission’s report when he gets it on Friday.”
The Launceston meeting discussed Government communications around the Planning Scheme and Minister Gutwein’s attempts to reassure people that few changes are being made and that planning reforms are about simplifying a the multitude of current schemes into one, statewide scheme.
“This issue isn’t about a single Statewide Planning Scheme per se,” said Vica Bayley, spokesperson for the Wilderness Society. “This is about the provisions that sit under the Planning Scheme and how robust they are to protect the special environmental, urban and heritage values that makes Tasmania unique.”
“Given Government propensity to put a divisive, political spin on communications regarding issues of deep public interest, last night’s meeting passed a clear motion to call on Minister Gutwein to release this important report on Friday, when he gets it.
“These are the most profound changes to planning in Tasmania for decades and they take us backwards by weakening longstanding principles and protections. Immediate transparency around the report of the Planning Commission is essential,” said Mr Bayley.
Vica Bayley Tasmanian Campaign Manager The Wilderness Society (Tasmania) Inc.
