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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 06 Hansard (Wednesday, 23 June 2004) . . Page.. 2568 ..

In particular, section 9 of the act requires that, in performing its functions, the ACT Planning and Land Authority is to take into account the statement of planning intent. The statement of planning intent that I delivered to the authority in 2003, in fact in December last year, outlines, amongst other things, the key principles this government wishes the authority to have regard to in preparing its work program. The statement makes explicit reference to the need to work towards an improved planning system, including an improved and integrated planning approval system. No planning and development system can be successful unless it is capable of providing relative certainty, appropriate levels of flexibility, consistency and time limits.

While very significant progress has been made in performing the overarching governing arrangements for planning in the ACT, including the passage of the Planning and Land Act, it is clear to me that an unnecessary level of complexity, specificity, duplication and open-endedness continues to hamper the administration of performance of our planning assessment system. For this reason, the government is committed to a clearer and more time-responsive system for the making and administration of the planning and development policy. We need to simplify and clarify not only the steps involved in the decision-making process but also expectations of the system by proponents and members of the community who participate in it.

The government’s views on the key elements of the overarching reform agenda are already on the public record, and these include the management of leasehold estate as part of the territory’s planning and development regulation system, with an emphasis on compliance with these conditions; a reduction of speculation in undeveloped land; simplification of the processes for granting and administering leases; the streamlining of the development assessment system for all activities, including administrative processes that have developed around this system; short-term changes to minimise planning system impediments in Civic, town centres and along public transport corridors, including the pre-application phase; maintaining and promoting a single, integrated development assessment path and elevating the status and roles of strategic planning and policy instruments in guiding decision-making and engaging the community earlier, not later, in the planning process; and, finally, providing appropriate safeguards for members of the community most directly affected by policy change and development applications.

Over the past 12 months since the formation of ACTPLA, significant progress has been made with key elements of planning system reform. The ACT Planning and Land Authority has conducted a major review of concessional lease grant and administration arrangements. The review process has involved significant community and industry comment throughout the early part of 2004. A consistent theme that emerged from almost all quarters is the need for a more equitable and consistent application of the concessional lease framework, an issue of concern since prior to self-government. The review has now been finalised and recommendations prepared for me and the government.

The government has brought forward major legislation, the Construction Occupations (Licensing) Act, that represents a fundamental modernisation of arrangements for the licensing of construction occupations, including builders, building certifiers, plumbers, drainers, gasfitters and electricians. These constructional reforms were well overdue. The

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