❓ The Minister for Planning updates the house on the government's planning reform agenda, highlighting past achievements and outlining the proposed changes in "Planning makes it happen: phase two", which is now open for public consultation.
AnsweredQoN 531Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PLANNING REFORM
531. Mr P.T. MILES to the Minister for Planning:
I am aware that the minister used
his address at the state planning conference this morning to launch a phase of
public consultation on the state planning system. Can the minister update the
house on the government's planning reform agenda?
531. Mr P.T. MILES to the Minister for Planning:
I am aware that the minister used
his address at the state planning conference this morning to launch a phase of
public consultation on the state planning system. Can the minister update the
house on the government's planning reform agenda?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
I remind members that in our first
term of government, it was a key priority of the government to put in place
reform in a range of areas of government relating to approvals in the
environment, mines and lands portfolios and particularly the planning
portfolio. Four years ago I released a discussion paper, ''Planning
Makes It Happen: A blueprint for planning reform'' that resulted in the
most comprehensive reform agenda ever proposed for the Western Australian
planning system. That was in the context that we needed a land-use approvals
planning system that is efficient and effective and responds to the population
growth pressures in Western Australia and the changing demographics, and one
that facilitates economic development where it is justified.
Changes of major substance were put
in place in the first term of government that included a new draft state
planning policy, the release of ''Directions 2031 and beyond:
metropolitan planning beyond the horizon''. There was a review of the
R-codes, which resulted in a revision of the R-codes with a new multi-unit
housing code; significantly, the introduction of development assessment panels,
which has been in the context of the recommendations nationally of the
development assessment forum; and the section 76 scheme amendment initiation
process, which has enabled the state, through me as planning minister, to
require planning scheme amendments to be initiated where it is judged
appropriate.
This morning I released a discussion
paper entitled ''Planning makes it happen: phase two'', which
proposes a number of other significant changes to our planning system to ensure
that we keep a contemporary system, and further responds to growth pressures
and other pressures in Western Australia. The ideas proposed for phase 2 are
out for discussion; they are not confirmed. We are keen to get the feedback of
industry members, planning professionals, members of the wider community and
local governments, of course. We propose a range of reforms that focus on
statutory decision making and land-use planning and supply, including examining
how we can improve regional and local planning schemes, considering concurrent
amendments to region and local planning schemes where that is appropriate and
improving the structure planning guidelines and development approvals. It is
also proposed to review the development assessment panel system to see whether
we should change the criteria, whether we should enable a range of projects to
be considered by the development assessment panels and whether we should change
the existing thresholds that exist, and to review a range of other proposed
changes.
The discussion paper is out for
public comment until Friday, 13 December. I encourage anybody who has an
interest in this issue to examine the proposals and to make a comment. I
commend the staff of the Department of Planning who have been responsible for
putting this together, and the staff of my own office who have also played a
major role in getting to this point.
I remind members that in our first
term of government, it was a key priority of the government to put in place
reform in a range of areas of government relating to approvals in the
environment, mines and lands portfolios and particularly the planning
portfolio. Four years ago I released a discussion paper, ''Planning
Makes It Happen: A blueprint for planning reform'' that resulted in the
most comprehensive reform agenda ever proposed for the Western Australian
planning system. That was in the context that we needed a land-use approvals
planning system that is efficient and effective and responds to the population
growth pressures in Western Australia and the changing demographics, and one
that facilitates economic development where it is justified.
Changes of major substance were put
in place in the first term of government that included a new draft state
planning policy, the release of ''Directions 2031 and beyond:
metropolitan planning beyond the horizon''. There was a review of the
R-codes, which resulted in a revision of the R-codes with a new multi-unit
housing code; significantly, the introduction of development assessment panels,
which has been in the context of the recommendations nationally of the
development assessment forum; and the section 76 scheme amendment initiation
process, which has enabled the state, through me as planning minister, to
require planning scheme amendments to be initiated where it is judged
appropriate.
This morning I released a discussion
paper entitled ''Planning makes it happen: phase two'', which
proposes a number of other significant changes to our planning system to ensure
that we keep a contemporary system, and further responds to growth pressures
and other pressures in Western Australia. The ideas proposed for phase 2 are
out for discussion; they are not confirmed. We are keen to get the feedback of
industry members, planning professionals, members of the wider community and
local governments, of course. We propose a range of reforms that focus on
statutory decision making and land-use planning and supply, including examining
how we can improve regional and local planning schemes, considering concurrent
amendments to region and local planning schemes where that is appropriate and
improving the structure planning guidelines and development approvals. It is
also proposed to review the development assessment panel system to see whether
we should change the criteria, whether we should enable a range of projects to
be considered by the development assessment panels and whether we should change
the existing thresholds that exist, and to review a range of other proposed
changes.
The discussion paper is out for
public comment until Friday, 13 December. I encourage anybody who has an
interest in this issue to examine the proposals and to make a comment. I
commend the staff of the Department of Planning who have been responsible for
putting this together, and the staff of my own office who have also played a
major role in getting to this point.
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