❓ Mr. Kelly asks about the Cook Labor government's planning reforms and their impact on development. The Minister responds by highlighting support from the Property Council and criticising the opposition's stance on planning and development.
AnsweredQoN 513Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Labor Party—Planning
reforms
513. Mr Dave Kelly to
the Minister for Planning and Lands:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to diversifying the WA economy to ensure that it
remains the strongest in the nation.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house how the Cook
Labor government's nation-leading planning reforms are cutting red tape and
accelerating development?
(2) Is the minister aware of anyone who does not
support these reforms?
reforms
513. Mr Dave Kelly to
the Minister for Planning and Lands:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to diversifying the WA economy to ensure that it
remains the strongest in the nation.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house how the Cook
Labor government's nation-leading planning reforms are cutting red tape and
accelerating development?
(2) Is the minister aware of anyone who does not
support these reforms?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for his
question. I might be aware of people who oppose our planning reforms. Last
night, we had two signature conferences in town. One of them was the Property Council
of Australia's Property Congress. I think it has been almost 20 years since it
has met in Perth, Western Australia. I had the opportunity last night to talk about
our planning reforms. The Property Council of Australia noted that Western
Australia leads the country in cutting red tape and enabling more housing
supply. We have been very resolute in consolidating the development assessment
panel system, which has been highly effective; creating a significant pathway
through the WA Planning Commission; and mandating that single-home approvals
should be considered by planning staff, not elected officials. Of course, the
reform continues. We are doing a review of the residential codes, which all
stakeholders have embraced, with the clear purpose of extracting rules and
regulations to enable more housing. More than $11 billion worth of projects
have been approved by DAPs and the WAPC.
It caught my interest yesterday during
debate on the State Development Bill when the Leader of the Opposition said—he
was very clear about it—"We are pro-development." He was very
resolute and clear. Then he went on to refer to Hon John Day and his reforms
relating to the DAP system. What is really bizarre about that is that he made
that reference, but he and many members of his team now oppose or seek to
reduce or change the planning system and the DAP reforms. The Leader of the
Liberal Party did an extraordinary thing. I doubt that Hon Colin Barnett, the
great Sir Charles Court or any other Liberal leader would have gone before the WA
Planning Commission—think about that in itself and how a leader of a political
party going before the full WA Planning Commission may be viewed—and opposed
a major density housing development and then questioned the integrity of the WA
Planning Commission and said that it already had a predetermined position.
Emma Cole is highly regarded by
all sides of politics and by stakeholders. That organisation, the Western
Australian Planning Commission, conducts itself with the highest level of
integrity. We have the Leader of the Liberal Party reaching to the past, yet I
can tell members that none of those other Liberal leaders would have done such
a thing as stand before the Western Australian Planning Commission and oppose
major housing developments. Unfortunately, the Liberal leader is not alone. We
have the member for Carine, who opposed an R60 zoning—and I want to be
right. That is not high density; that is even on the lower edge of medium
density. We have the member for Kalamunda, who does not know whether he is
green or blue. He writes to me suggesting that we should have third party
appeals. Go speak to people on the east coast about how effective that is! I
wish I could tell members what Hon Neil Thomson stands for. It might be easier
for him to explain his planning position by doing an interpretive dance. I cannot
tell members what Hon Neil Thomson stands for, but I do know this: that side is
viewed across the country as now being isolated in opposing planning reform. Its
planning spokesperson has no credibility with any of the major stakeholders and
it does not have a consistent position. We have a national cabinet with a program
in which every state, blue or red, is driving and planning reform. Our state is
embracing this, but that side, under the leadership of the member for
Churchlands, is now isolated not just in this state, but across the country.
question. I might be aware of people who oppose our planning reforms. Last
night, we had two signature conferences in town. One of them was the Property Council
of Australia's Property Congress. I think it has been almost 20 years since it
has met in Perth, Western Australia. I had the opportunity last night to talk about
our planning reforms. The Property Council of Australia noted that Western
Australia leads the country in cutting red tape and enabling more housing
supply. We have been very resolute in consolidating the development assessment
panel system, which has been highly effective; creating a significant pathway
through the WA Planning Commission; and mandating that single-home approvals
should be considered by planning staff, not elected officials. Of course, the
reform continues. We are doing a review of the residential codes, which all
stakeholders have embraced, with the clear purpose of extracting rules and
regulations to enable more housing. More than $11 billion worth of projects
have been approved by DAPs and the WAPC.
It caught my interest yesterday during
debate on the State Development Bill when the Leader of the Opposition said—he
was very clear about it—"We are pro-development." He was very
resolute and clear. Then he went on to refer to Hon John Day and his reforms
relating to the DAP system. What is really bizarre about that is that he made
that reference, but he and many members of his team now oppose or seek to
reduce or change the planning system and the DAP reforms. The Leader of the
Liberal Party did an extraordinary thing. I doubt that Hon Colin Barnett, the
great Sir Charles Court or any other Liberal leader would have gone before the WA
Planning Commission—think about that in itself and how a leader of a political
party going before the full WA Planning Commission may be viewed—and opposed
a major density housing development and then questioned the integrity of the WA
Planning Commission and said that it already had a predetermined position.
Emma Cole is highly regarded by
all sides of politics and by stakeholders. That organisation, the Western
Australian Planning Commission, conducts itself with the highest level of
integrity. We have the Leader of the Liberal Party reaching to the past, yet I
can tell members that none of those other Liberal leaders would have done such
a thing as stand before the Western Australian Planning Commission and oppose
major housing developments. Unfortunately, the Liberal leader is not alone. We
have the member for Carine, who opposed an R60 zoning—and I want to be
right. That is not high density; that is even on the lower edge of medium
density. We have the member for Kalamunda, who does not know whether he is
green or blue. He writes to me suggesting that we should have third party
appeals. Go speak to people on the east coast about how effective that is! I
wish I could tell members what Hon Neil Thomson stands for. It might be easier
for him to explain his planning position by doing an interpretive dance. I cannot
tell members what Hon Neil Thomson stands for, but I do know this: that side is
viewed across the country as now being isolated in opposing planning reform. Its
planning spokesperson has no credibility with any of the major stakeholders and
it does not have a consistent position. We have a national cabinet with a program
in which every state, blue or red, is driving and planning reform. Our state is
embracing this, but that side, under the leadership of the member for
Churchlands, is now isolated not just in this state, but across the country.
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