❓ Mrs. Stojkovski asks how planning reforms will aid WA's economic recovery from COVID-19, support major projects, local jobs, and businesses in Kingsley. The Premier outlines temporary reforms to expedite project approvals, emphasising economic urgency and private sector investment.
AnsweredQoN 321Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PLANNING REFORMS
321. Mrs J.M.C. STOJKOVSKI to the Premier:
I refer to the devastating impact that COVID-19 has had on
the WA economy. Can the Premier outline to the house how the McGowan government's
proposed planning reforms will support the state's economic recovery
from COVID-19, and can the Premier advise the house what these reforms will
mean for major projects and how they will support local jobs and local
businesses like those in my electorate of Kingsley?
321. Mrs J.M.C. STOJKOVSKI to the Premier:
I refer to the devastating impact that COVID-19 has had on
the WA economy. Can the Premier outline to the house how the McGowan government's
proposed planning reforms will support the state's economic recovery
from COVID-19, and can the Premier advise the house what these reforms will
mean for major projects and how they will support local jobs and local
businesses like those in my electorate of Kingsley?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Kingsley.
Clearly, Western Australia and the world are in an extraordinary time. We have
seen a shock to the economy like never before in any of our lifetimes. Tens of
thousands of jobs have been lost, businesses have closed, and it is the
greatest economic crisis in about four generations. As we go through this, it
is important that we put in place some bold and ambitious reforms that will
provide business confidence and drive investment. That is what the planning
reforms we are bringing forward are all about. They are to kickstart our
economy and provide confidence, and, given the crisis that we face, these
reforms are absolutely urgent. We cannot delay and prevent significant
investment from occurring in Western Australia.
The burden of economic recovery
cannot rest solely on government. Western Australian government spend is about
seven per cent of the state economy and 93 per cent is from elsewhere;
therefore, unleashing some of that other
investment is very important, particularly in the area of building and
construction. As I said earlier, about 80 per cent of investment in
infrastructure comes from the private sector.
The reforms that the Minister for
Planning and I have announced today will establish new investment application processes for significant job-creating projects,
which would be in place for around 18 months. They will temporarily establish the independent Western Australian Planning Commission as a new
decision-making authority for all development proposals of state significance.
These reforms are not about automatic approvals, but making sure that decisions
are made quickly based upon good decision-making practices and proper
consultation, both environmentally and with local authorities.
Projects
that will go before this process will be over $30 million residential and
non-residential commercial projects , and projects can be referred into
this process by the Premier on the recommendation of the Minister for Planning,
particularly for regional or tourism projects that might fall under the $30 million
threshold. We think that will be very important in the case of regions, where
some projects do not meet that threshold.
As I said, there will still be
public consultation and consultation of local government, and the Western Australian
Planning Commission must engage with the Environmental Protection Authority on
all significant development processes, as well as the Heritage Council of Western
Australia for any that require heritage protection. It is not about encouraging
speculative projects, but supporting projects that have a degree of investment
certainty and that need to get through processes quickly.
If we are serious about getting our
economy back to strength, serious reforms need to be put in place. As I said,
these are the sorts of things that are discussed in the national cabinet: how
do we get projects through the red tape as quickly as possible? This is an
important one. The other one is a proposition I put to the Prime Minister about
aligning the EPA and the environmental protection and biodiversity conservation
processes so that they work well together. Obviously, the Prime Minister is
keen on that. There has been some slowness at the commonwealth end, which I think
is understandable in the context and the environment, about putting those
processes in place, but certainly the Western Australian government is keen on
both, not to reduce environmental protection, but to reduce duplication in
environmental processes.
Today's reforms are once in
a lifetime reform. They are bold and ambitious. They are about creating
thousands of jobs at a time of great uncertainty.
Clearly, Western Australia and the world are in an extraordinary time. We have
seen a shock to the economy like never before in any of our lifetimes. Tens of
thousands of jobs have been lost, businesses have closed, and it is the
greatest economic crisis in about four generations. As we go through this, it
is important that we put in place some bold and ambitious reforms that will
provide business confidence and drive investment. That is what the planning
reforms we are bringing forward are all about. They are to kickstart our
economy and provide confidence, and, given the crisis that we face, these
reforms are absolutely urgent. We cannot delay and prevent significant
investment from occurring in Western Australia.
The burden of economic recovery
cannot rest solely on government. Western Australian government spend is about
seven per cent of the state economy and 93 per cent is from elsewhere;
therefore, unleashing some of that other
investment is very important, particularly in the area of building and
construction. As I said earlier, about 80 per cent of investment in
infrastructure comes from the private sector.
The reforms that the Minister for
Planning and I have announced today will establish new investment application processes for significant job-creating projects,
which would be in place for around 18 months. They will temporarily establish the independent Western Australian Planning Commission as a new
decision-making authority for all development proposals of state significance.
These reforms are not about automatic approvals, but making sure that decisions
are made quickly based upon good decision-making practices and proper
consultation, both environmentally and with local authorities.
Projects
that will go before this process will be over $30 million residential and
non-residential commercial projects , and projects can be referred into
this process by the Premier on the recommendation of the Minister for Planning,
particularly for regional or tourism projects that might fall under the $30 million
threshold. We think that will be very important in the case of regions, where
some projects do not meet that threshold.
As I said, there will still be
public consultation and consultation of local government, and the Western Australian
Planning Commission must engage with the Environmental Protection Authority on
all significant development processes, as well as the Heritage Council of Western
Australia for any that require heritage protection. It is not about encouraging
speculative projects, but supporting projects that have a degree of investment
certainty and that need to get through processes quickly.
If we are serious about getting our
economy back to strength, serious reforms need to be put in place. As I said,
these are the sorts of things that are discussed in the national cabinet: how
do we get projects through the red tape as quickly as possible? This is an
important one. The other one is a proposition I put to the Prime Minister about
aligning the EPA and the environmental protection and biodiversity conservation
processes so that they work well together. Obviously, the Prime Minister is
keen on that. There has been some slowness at the commonwealth end, which I think
is understandable in the context and the environment, about putting those
processes in place, but certainly the Western Australian government is keen on
both, not to reduce environmental protection, but to reduce duplication in
environmental processes.
Today's reforms are once in
a lifetime reform. They are bold and ambitious. They are about creating
thousands of jobs at a time of great uncertainty.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.