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Media Release - Minister's Office Sydney: 4 June 2008 PLANNING REFORM PASSES THE LOWER HOUSE Planning Minister, Frank Sartor said that after months of consultation, reforms to create an efficient and transparent planning system have been passed by the NSW Legislative Assembly.
Speaking at the Annual Shires Association of NSW Conference today, Mr Sartor said the need for planning reform was unanimously recognised and the package would address these problems in a balanced and workable way.
“As Planning Minister I have a responsibility to speak up and address these issues,” he said.
“Local Government can’t keep its head in the sand. Planning is a dynamic system and we have to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.”
Mr Sartor said a recent survey and flyer distributed by Baulkham Hills Shire Council was a good example of the misinformation being propagated by some councils.
“The flyer appears to be more of a ratepayer-funded re-election brochure for existing councillors than a serious attempt to examine the proposed reforms,” he said. “It is completely incorrect.
“The Baulkham Hills survey results are therefore based on highly biased “push-polling” tactics
However, Mr Sartor said that other professionally conducted polling had found broad support for the NSW Government’s reforms.
A survey of 1000 people conducted by Auspoll for the Property Council of Australia found: • 72 per cent support independent planning experts assessing large projects; • 73 per cent support the use of planning arbitrators to review planning decisions before needing to proceed to a court; • 87 per cent support the concept of allowing property owners to undertake renovations if they fit within set building codes; • 82 per cent support private certifiers approving straightforward projects that meet codes if tough penalties and standards applied to those certifiers.
Furthermore, only seven per cent of respondents believe the current planning approval process is good, compared to 45 per cent believing it is poor or very poor.
Separate surveys conducted by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and the Planning Institute of Australia also found overwhelming support for the key proposed reforms: • More than three quarters endorsed new complying development codes • More than two-thirds backed the establishment of a Planning Assessment Commission • 69 per cent of planners and 78 per cent of architects support Joint Regional Planning Panels
As the Minister left the Shires Conference quite a number of delegates approached him to discreetly offer their support for planning reform.
The Environmental Planning & Assessment Amendment Bill 2008 and associated bills will now proceed to the Legislative Council.
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