Page 2091 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
The second outcome is related to the pre-DA community consultation framework, which was added to the legislation by the Planning and Building Legislation Amendment Act 2011 (No 2). The 2011 act included provisions to require proponents to consult with the community in relation to relatively large developments as identified in the regulation. The framework requires the proponent to consult with the community on the proposed development before lodgement of the development application. If the required pre-DA community consultation is not done then the DA cannot proceed. The operational provisions of the 2011 act have yet to commence pending finalisation of prescribed guidelines on the community consultation process. It is anticipated that these provisions will commence later this year.
Government amendment No 4 inserts new clause 25B to the bill and adds to the existing list of matters subject to the new pre-DA community consultation requirement. The amendment applies to concessional leases. The amendment will require pre-DA community consultation on proposals to remove the concessional status of a lease. This amendment is a sensible one that the government is pleased to introduce given the importance of and interest in concessional leases to many in the community.
As you can see, Mr Assistant Speaker, the two government amendments I have referred to so far are able to be made within the existing framework of the Planning and Development Act. The third outcome agreed with Ms Le Couteur that is the subject of government amendment is about the public notification of variations to the territory plan. Section 63 of the act requires draft plan variations to be notified in a newspaper and on the legislation register. Government amendment No 3 inserts new clause 10A to amend section 63 to add a further notification requirement. The new provision will require the Planning and Land Authority to give notice about the proposed variation to individuals as well as publishing the notice in the newspaper. The new requirement will apply to variations of a type identified in the regulation and to individuals identified in the regulation.
Government amendment No 4 inserts new clause 25A to apply this new notification requirement to territory plan variations to make a change in the zone—for instance, from CZ1 zone to RZ4 zone—to be notified to adjoining suburbs. This will mean that the neighbouring community that could be affected by the change in the zoning is made aware of the proposed change.
The government amendments are aimed at further improving community consultation and information. They reflect the government’s ongoing commitment to informing the community about significant planning issues and facilitating the community’s understanding and potential participation and ability to comment on the planning process.
I thank Ms Le Couteur again for our discussions on the amendments, and I commend the bill and, as a consequence, the government amendments to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video