Page 2615 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 21 September 2022

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I move:

That the Assembly take note of the paper.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Planning Bill 2022

Mr Gentleman, pursuant to notice, presented the bill, its explanatory statement and a Human Rights Act compatibility statement.

Title read by Clerk.

MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Manager of Government Business, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Industrial Relations and Workplace Safety, Minister for Planning and Land Management and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (10.48): I move:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

This is an important day for planning in Canberra, as we move from our current planning system to a new, simpler system that will focus on the best outcomes for our city, our environment and our people. I am proud to introduce the Planning Bill 2022 in the Assembly today. This important bill will repeal and replace the Planning and Development Act 2007. When the Planning and Development Act was introduced, it was the most significant reform to planning legislation in the ACT since self-government. The resulting planning system was, at the time, a nation-leading practice model for development assessment and regulation.

This new planning bill is the result of a comprehensive review of our planning system. We want to further improve and modernise the way we plan for the future, in light of the new challenges faced by cities around the world, including population growth and climate change. At the same time, we want to honour the city that we know and love, to maintain the characteristics that make our city special, such as being a city in the landscape. We have heard extensively from the community and industry on how the planning system can be improved.

This bill is the first of three major reforms to arise from the review. These reforms will support Canberra’s growth, while maintaining its valued character, respecting our environment and heritage values and acknowledging the important contribution that traditional custodians can make to planning in the ACT. The bill sets out our vision for a modern planning system that is accessible, easy to use and delivers improved development outcomes across the ACT.

The review found that parts of the current legislation, over time, have become complex and prohibitive to achieving this vision. The bill keeps the parts that are still effective and removes or amends those aspects that prevent the planning system from


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