[Greens-Media] PARNELL: Greens Bill to lift secrecy on re-zoning advice

[Parnell]

Wednesday 29th September 2010
Media Release
29th September 2010

Greens Bill to lift secrecy on re-zoning advice


Greens MLC Mark Parnell has introduced a Bill into State Parliament to force the Minister to release the re-zoning advice from his hand-picked advisory board - the Development Policy Advisory Committee (DPAC).

The issue of DPAC's 'secret' advice to the Minister has been a major theme at all 4 nights so far of the Mt Barker re-zoning public hearings.

"The formal public consultation process for land re-zonings is highly disrespectful," said Greens MLC and planning Mark Parnell.

"Residents, Councils and other interested people spend hours and hours preparing submissions and attending public meetings and they never get to see what DPAC says to the Minister on their behalf.

"At the moment their submissions end up in a virtual black-hole with no accountability.

"The community has a right to know what the Minister's hand-picked advisory committee is saying on their behalf," he said.

In last week's Mt Barker Courier, Liberal leader Isobel Redmond backed the Greens call for DPAC's advice to be released.

"I'm pleased Isobel Redmond has backed my call.  There is simply no valid reason for this formal step of the development approval process to be kept secret," Mr Parnell said.

"Mt Barker residents, and all other communities affected by controversial land re-zonings, deserve more respect," he said.




For further comment contact Craig Wilkins on 0434 007 893




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