❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure regarding advice given to developers on avoiding environmental assessment for the UWA Underwood Avenue bushland development. The Minister defends the advice as enabling efficient application processing within the context of negotiated outcomes.
AnsweredQoN 228Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
With regards to the bushland site adjacent to Underwood Avenue that the University of Western Australia is seeking to develop and an article in the
Subiaco Post
Newspaper entitled UWA ‘dodged bush conservation scheme’, dated September 15 2001, vol. 27 No. 37 -
(1) Is the Minister aware that a letter released under freedom of information from Ministry of Planning files reveals that the negotiator in the Negotiated Planning Solution process for Bushplan sites advised developers on how to avoid formal assessment under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
?
(2) Does the Minister support such practises?
(3) If yes, how are such practises compatible with the conservation of Perth’s Bushplan sites?
(4) If no, will the Minister prevent such practises occurring in any future negotiations?
(5) If no to (4), can the Minister explain how the public can have any confidence in the environmental outcomes of the Negotiated Planning Solutions process when officers involved in those negotiations give advice to proponents on how to avoid environmental scrutiny?
(6) Will the Minister now set aside the Negotiated Planning Solution process in relation to the Underwood Avenue bushland and conduct new negotiations in an open and accountable way?
Subiaco Post
Newspaper entitled UWA ‘dodged bush conservation scheme’, dated September 15 2001, vol. 27 No. 37 -
(1) Is the Minister aware that a letter released under freedom of information from Ministry of Planning files reveals that the negotiator in the Negotiated Planning Solution process for Bushplan sites advised developers on how to avoid formal assessment under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
?
(2) Does the Minister support such practises?
(3) If yes, how are such practises compatible with the conservation of Perth’s Bushplan sites?
(4) If no, will the Minister prevent such practises occurring in any future negotiations?
(5) If no to (4), can the Minister explain how the public can have any confidence in the environmental outcomes of the Negotiated Planning Solutions process when officers involved in those negotiations give advice to proponents on how to avoid environmental scrutiny?
(6) Will the Minister now set aside the Negotiated Planning Solution process in relation to the Underwood Avenue bushland and conduct new negotiations in an open and accountable way?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 November 2001
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
Response time
50 days
(2) Yes, this would appear to be relevant advice to enable the application to be considered with greater certainty of outcome and in the context of an endorsed document. This avoids wasted time and effort. (3) The advice was given on the basis that the draft Perth's Bushplan recognises the need for negotiated outcomes for lands with prior planning commmitments (including the subject Underwood Avenue Site) to achieve a balance between conservation and development. (4) N/A. (5) N/A. (6) The negotiated planning solution for the subject site was conducted in full consultation with other environmental agencies, including referral to the independent non-government Bushplan Reference Group. Negotiated outcomes were also endorsed through the finalisation of Bush Forever byCabinet, the Environment Protection Authority and the Western Australian Planning Commission. Any adjustments to the negotiated boundary can be considered through the normal planning approval process. The EPA has also released separate advice under section 16 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 , which recognises the need for negotiated outcomes (EPA Bulletin 1007, January 2001).
(3) The advice was given on the basis that the draft Perth's Bushplan recognises the need for negotiated outcomes for lands with prior planning commmitments (including the subject Underwood Avenue Site) to achieve a balance between conservation and development. (4) N/A. (5) N/A. (6) The negotiated planning solution for the subject site was conducted in full consultation with other environmental agencies, including referral to the independent non-government Bushplan Reference Group. Negotiated outcomes were also endorsed through the finalisation of Bush Forever byCabinet, the Environment Protection Authority and the Western Australian Planning Commission. Any adjustments to the negotiated boundary can be considered through the normal planning approval process. The EPA has also released separate advice under section 16 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 , which recognises the need for negotiated outcomes (EPA Bulletin 1007, January 2001).
(4) N/A. (5) N/A. (6) The negotiated planning solution for the subject site was conducted in full consultation with other environmental agencies, including referral to the independent non-government Bushplan Reference Group. Negotiated outcomes were also endorsed through the finalisation of Bush Forever byCabinet, the Environment Protection Authority and the Western Australian Planning Commission. Any adjustments to the negotiated boundary can be considered through the normal planning approval process. The EPA has also released separate advice under section 16 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 , which recognises the need for negotiated outcomes (EPA Bulletin 1007, January 2001).
(5) N/A. (6) The negotiated planning solution for the subject site was conducted in full consultation with other environmental agencies, including referral to the independent non-government Bushplan Reference Group. Negotiated outcomes were also endorsed through the finalisation of Bush Forever byCabinet, the Environment Protection Authority and the Western Australian Planning Commission. Any adjustments to the negotiated boundary can be considered through the normal planning approval process. The EPA has also released separate advice under section 16 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 , which recognises the need for negotiated outcomes (EPA Bulletin 1007, January 2001).
(6) The negotiated planning solution for the subject site was conducted in full consultation with other environmental agencies, including referral to the independent non-government Bushplan Reference Group. Negotiated outcomes were also endorsed through the finalisation of Bush Forever byCabinet, the Environment Protection Authority and the Western Australian Planning Commission. Any adjustments to the negotiated boundary can be considered through the normal planning approval process. The EPA has also released separate advice under section 16 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 , which recognises the need for negotiated outcomes (EPA Bulletin 1007, January 2001).
Negotiated outcomes were also endorsed through the finalisation of Bush Forever byCabinet, the Environment Protection Authority and the Western Australian Planning Commission. Any adjustments to the negotiated boundary can be considered through the normal planning approval process. The EPA has also released separate advice under section 16 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 , which recognises the need for negotiated outcomes (EPA Bulletin 1007, January 2001).
(3) The advice was given on the basis that the draft Perth's Bushplan recognises the need for negotiated outcomes for lands with prior planning commmitments (including the subject Underwood Avenue Site) to achieve a balance between conservation and development. (4) N/A. (5) N/A. (6) The negotiated planning solution for the subject site was conducted in full consultation with other environmental agencies, including referral to the independent non-government Bushplan Reference Group. Negotiated outcomes were also endorsed through the finalisation of Bush Forever byCabinet, the Environment Protection Authority and the Western Australian Planning Commission. Any adjustments to the negotiated boundary can be considered through the normal planning approval process. The EPA has also released separate advice under section 16 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 , which recognises the need for negotiated outcomes (EPA Bulletin 1007, January 2001).
(4) N/A. (5) N/A. (6) The negotiated planning solution for the subject site was conducted in full consultation with other environmental agencies, including referral to the independent non-government Bushplan Reference Group. Negotiated outcomes were also endorsed through the finalisation of Bush Forever byCabinet, the Environment Protection Authority and the Western Australian Planning Commission. Any adjustments to the negotiated boundary can be considered through the normal planning approval process. The EPA has also released separate advice under section 16 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 , which recognises the need for negotiated outcomes (EPA Bulletin 1007, January 2001).
(5) N/A. (6) The negotiated planning solution for the subject site was conducted in full consultation with other environmental agencies, including referral to the independent non-government Bushplan Reference Group. Negotiated outcomes were also endorsed through the finalisation of Bush Forever byCabinet, the Environment Protection Authority and the Western Australian Planning Commission. Any adjustments to the negotiated boundary can be considered through the normal planning approval process. The EPA has also released separate advice under section 16 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 , which recognises the need for negotiated outcomes (EPA Bulletin 1007, January 2001).
(6) The negotiated planning solution for the subject site was conducted in full consultation with other environmental agencies, including referral to the independent non-government Bushplan Reference Group. Negotiated outcomes were also endorsed through the finalisation of Bush Forever byCabinet, the Environment Protection Authority and the Western Australian Planning Commission. Any adjustments to the negotiated boundary can be considered through the normal planning approval process. The EPA has also released separate advice under section 16 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 , which recognises the need for negotiated outcomes (EPA Bulletin 1007, January 2001).
Negotiated outcomes were also endorsed through the finalisation of Bush Forever byCabinet, the Environment Protection Authority and the Western Australian Planning Commission. Any adjustments to the negotiated boundary can be considered through the normal planning approval process. The EPA has also released separate advice under section 16 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 , which recognises the need for negotiated outcomes (EPA Bulletin 1007, January 2001).
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.