[Greens-Media] (Sylvia Hale MLC) Survey Shows Planning Panels Are Not the Answer

[Christopher Holley]

Survey Shows Planning Panels Are Not the Answer


Compulsory planning panels to determine development applications, a
proposal being pushed by the property developer lobby, will not improve
the state’s planning system, according to NSW Greens MP, Sylvia Hale.

Commenting today a report by the Local Government Association into the
use of planning panels to determine development applications Ms Hale
welcomed the report’s recommendation that elected local councillors
retain the final say over development decisions.

“Elected councillors are accountable to their local communities. They
represent the best way for local residents to have a say in how their
community will develop,” said Ms Hale.

“The push from the property industry, aided and abetted by the Labor
government, is designed to reduce local community involvement in
planning decisions so that more overdevelopment can be pushed
through.”

“The allegation about local councillors being open to corruption in
considering development applications doesn’t hold up. A recent ICAC
report showed no evidence of systematic corruption at a local government
level and the vast majority of political donations by property
developers go to the state Labor and Liberal parties, not local
councillors.”

“The best way to stop any real or perceived corruption of the
planning process is to ban all political donations by property
developers to any political party or candidate,” said Ms Hale.

“The community just does not accept that planning decisions are above
board when a developer is able to donate thousands of dollars to a
political party and then have a Planning Minister from that party
determines whether to approve their development.”

“As long as the government allows that situation to continue it will
not be taken seriously when it says it wants to reduce corruption within
the planning system.”

“If the government wants to improve public confidence in the planning
system it should be looking at making the decision-making process as
transparent as possible, increasing local community involvement and
removing the taint of political donations,” concluded Ms Hale.

Further information: Chris Holley 02 9230 3030 / 0437 779 546