21 January 2014
The proposed planning reforms for NSW need a major rethink from all opposition political parties if there is any chance of housing the state’s future population, says the Urban Taskforce.
“The new year is a good time for those politicians who opposed the planning reforms for NSW to rethink their negative approach to planning for future population growth,” says Chris Johnson CEO, of the Urban Taskforce. “Let’s hope that the summer break has cleared the air so that we can get a twenty first century Planning Act for the benefit of future generations.”
“The Urban Taskforce has today written to the Labor Party, the Shooters and Fishers Party and the Greens calling for a bipartisan approach to the reforms. We specifically drew attention to the new population projections for NSW that have risen to 2 million extra people over the next 20 years.”
“It is not acceptable for today’s politicians to hold future generations to ransom by not having a modern planning system that manages significant growth. It appears that some opposition political groups are more interested in opposing than leading when it comes to planning. It is easy to listen to minority community action groups who don’t want change but it is much harder to take a long term viewpoint that will upset some people in the short term. The slogan ‘Short term pain for long term gain’ is one that politicians need to understand particularly if they want to be long term politicians.”
“Our letter stressed 6 key parts of the Planning Bill that the Urban Taskforce believes are essential components. These are the objects of the Act to support sustainable development, strategic compatibility certificates, code assessable, infrastructure plans, flexible zoning and appropriate community participation.”
“A Planning Act needs to be a clear rational document not a hotchpotch of clauses thrown together by numerous political parties bent on destroying the logic of the document prepared by the state’s top planners in the Department of Planning and Infrastructure. We encourage opposition politicians to listen carefully to the professional experts from the Planning Department.”
“The Urban Taskforce believes that the White Paper issued in April 2013 was the high point of the proposed legislation and that changes since this time have been detrimental. We believe the changes forced by the Upper House last December should not proceed and that an act similar to that proposed in the White Paper is required if NSW is to remain as the number one state in Australia.”
Urban Taskforce letter to David Shoebridge- The Greens
Urban Taskforce letter to Luke Foley- Labor Party
Urban Taskforce letter to David Brown- Shooters and Fishers Party
