❓ Dr. Honey questions the Minister for Planning about the Corruption and Crime Commissioner's concerns regarding new planning laws. The Minister deflects, accusing Dr. Honey of spreading misinformation and highlighting the planning reforms' focus on streamlining approvals.
AnsweredQoN 200Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORRUPTION AND CRIME
COMMISSIONER — COMMENTS — PLANNING LAW
200. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Planning:
In an article published in The
Australian Financial Review on 8 March this year, titled ''WA
anti-corruption chief cites misconduct risk
over new planning laws'', the head of the Corruption and Crime
Commission, Mr John McKechnie , is quoted as saying that the minister's
planning law changes have created new risks for misconduct.
(1) Has the minister discussed Mr
McKechnie's concerns directly with him?
(2) Does the minister agree with the
assessment of Mr McKechnie; and, if not, why not?
(3) What steps
are the minister and government taking to ensure that corruption is not
influencing planning decisions?
COMMISSIONER — COMMENTS — PLANNING LAW
200. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Planning:
In an article published in The
Australian Financial Review on 8 March this year, titled ''WA
anti-corruption chief cites misconduct risk
over new planning laws'', the head of the Corruption and Crime
Commission, Mr John McKechnie , is quoted as saying that the minister's
planning law changes have created new risks for misconduct.
(1) Has the minister discussed Mr
McKechnie's concerns directly with him?
(2) Does the minister agree with the
assessment of Mr McKechnie; and, if not, why not?
(3) What steps
are the minister and government taking to ensure that corruption is not
influencing planning decisions?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) I
thank the member for some notice of the question. I actually expected it from
the member given that he has peddled wrong information via the Subiaco Post to the Western Australian community. I do want to put this on the record because the member said
that CEOs of local governments could approve high-density buildings.
That is false.
Dr D.J. Honey :
Read your own CIDs.
The SPEAKER :
Order, please!
Mr J.N. CAREY :
Would the member like me to answer the question?
Dr D.J. Honey :
You're not answering it. You're on another tangent.
The SPEAKER :
Order, please!
Mr
J.N. CAREY : I appreciate the
member gets agitated because he is being replaced by the leader of the Property Council of Australia, and he is on his way out, but he has said —
Dr D.J. Honey : That does not
agitate me. You're not doing your job.
Mr J.N. CAREY : You are
agitated.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr J.N. CAREY : We know you
are being replaced by the leader of the Property Council of Western Australia,
who advocated in the complete opposite direction to yourself, and I appreciate
that is embarrassing.
Dr D.J. Honey : Will you
answer the question or not?
Mr J.N. CAREY : See the
agitation. He is very embarrassed. He is out the door, replaced by the
properties sector. He is out the door.
Let us be clear that this member has
peddled wrong information that fuelled some fears in the western suburbs
community. Let us be very clear about our planning reforms. Our planning
reforms do not give me, as the Minister for Planning, powers to make decisions
on major projects. I want to be very clear. On major projects, through the
development assessment panel system, it is either the Western Australian
Planning Commission or a development assessment panel where there are planning
experts—or in terms of the DAP system, actual community members. That
contrasts with the east coast, where planning ministers have far greater powers
and direct intervention in improving major projects. There is a very clear difference
on the east coast and west coast. I am very proud of our planning reforms,
which are about streamlining approvals to get housing supply delivered in Western
Australia.
thank the member for some notice of the question. I actually expected it from
the member given that he has peddled wrong information via the Subiaco Post to the Western Australian community. I do want to put this on the record because the member said
that CEOs of local governments could approve high-density buildings.
That is false.
Dr D.J. Honey :
Read your own CIDs.
The SPEAKER :
Order, please!
Mr J.N. CAREY :
Would the member like me to answer the question?
Dr D.J. Honey :
You're not answering it. You're on another tangent.
The SPEAKER :
Order, please!
Mr
J.N. CAREY : I appreciate the
member gets agitated because he is being replaced by the leader of the Property Council of Australia, and he is on his way out, but he has said —
Dr D.J. Honey : That does not
agitate me. You're not doing your job.
Mr J.N. CAREY : You are
agitated.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr J.N. CAREY : We know you
are being replaced by the leader of the Property Council of Western Australia,
who advocated in the complete opposite direction to yourself, and I appreciate
that is embarrassing.
Dr D.J. Honey : Will you
answer the question or not?
Mr J.N. CAREY : See the
agitation. He is very embarrassed. He is out the door, replaced by the
properties sector. He is out the door.
Let us be clear that this member has
peddled wrong information that fuelled some fears in the western suburbs
community. Let us be very clear about our planning reforms. Our planning
reforms do not give me, as the Minister for Planning, powers to make decisions
on major projects. I want to be very clear. On major projects, through the
development assessment panel system, it is either the Western Australian
Planning Commission or a development assessment panel where there are planning
experts—or in terms of the DAP system, actual community members. That
contrasts with the east coast, where planning ministers have far greater powers
and direct intervention in improving major projects. There is a very clear difference
on the east coast and west coast. I am very proud of our planning reforms,
which are about streamlining approvals to get housing supply delivered in Western
Australia.
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