Page 1584 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 31 March 2009
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It was a surprise to learn last week that the shadow treasurer believes that I should—and I quote:
Direct [my] department to … stop being so focused on just development applications.
I will not be doing that, and no-one else in Canberra thinks that I should.
The other example is the ACT government’s response to the commonwealth government’s building the education revolution stimulus package. When the federal package was announced in early February this year with strict time constraints, the ACT government needed to respond to the challenge. The package developed in response to the commonwealth funding included: the appointment by ACTPLA of a senior in-house coordinator to act as a key contact with the ACT Coordinator-General; development application assessors to ensure school applications are processed without delay; more flexible arrangements to ensure staff and resources can be moved within ACTPLA to areas of demand; and a renewed focus by ACTPLA on reducing the number of development applications that require assessment and decision.
But we also changed planning regulations to ensure all ACT schools could start building quickly with the commonwealth provided funds. This funding was a case of “use it or lose it”, or, to describe the government’s response using planning terminology, the government created an education code; that is, we extended the principles that apply in other codes, such as the residential code or the water sensitive urban design code. These principles were extended to education buildings consistent with certain criteria.
ACTPLAn and the government’s response to the commonwealth funding package are great examples of the new act providing the flexibility to respond to unforeseeable circumstances whilst protecting planning standards. Whereas under the old system new legislation would have been needed, the new act allows us to change regulations. It is a much more time effective and straightforward process which is equally transparent—simpler, faster and more effective; practical and innovative reform.
As with any major reform, change can be difficult. People need to adjust to new ways of doing things. Teething problems occur. Working with the new act means doing things differently. But let me state plainly: the planning system is working and we will continue to make it stronger. A planning system will never be perfect. There will always be room for improvement and we will always remain open to suggestions. But the system we have in place is responding to the needs of the community, the environment and the economy. It is working to get the balance right between these competing needs, as it is intended to do. It is on track.
The task before us now is to build on the 2008 legislative reforms. The key way we are doing this is developing codes which will guide future development and streamlining whole-of-government processes.
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