04 April 2011
The new O’Farrell Government has announced the details of a major government re-organisation. Relevant to urban development:
- The new Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, Brad Hazzard, has also been given the role of Minister Assisting the Premier for Infrastructure NSW. Infrastructure NSW will have a key role in the planning of major additions to the state’s infrastructure, such as the north west rail link, south west rail link and motorway expansions.
- The Department of Planning has lost its status as a “principal department”, has been re-named “the Department of Planning and Infrastructure” and will now come under the ambit of the Department of Premier and Cabinet. However, no staff related to infrastructure planning have been transferred to the Department of Planning from the Roads and Traffic Authority, Transport NSW, etc. Given that Infrastructure NSW will sit outside the Department, and it has received no additional infrastructure-related staff, it is not clear what role the Department will have in infrastructure planning and delivery.
- The Department of Planning and Infrastructure has re-acquired responsibility for the Office of Strategic Lands (from the Land and Property Management Authority) which is responsible for purchasing and holding lands necessary for major new transport infrastructure.
- The Land and Property Management Authority (which was the sucessor to the old Department of Lands) has been abolished. Its responsibilities as for the Sydney Harbour Foreshores Authority, the Central Coast Regional Development Corporation and the Luna Park Reserve Trust have been transferred back to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure. The Minister for the Hunter, Michael Gallacher, will be responsible for the Hunter Development Corporation. The administration of crown lands and the Soil Conservation Service has been transferred to the Department of Primary Industries. The remaining property-related functions have been given to the new Department of Finance and Services.
- The Department of Climate Change, Environment and Water (DECCW) has been abolished, with responsibility for native vegetation and water being transferred to the Department of Primary Industries. Administration of national parks, threatened species legislation and contaminated land legislation will be carried out by the Office of the Environment and Heritage within the Department of Premier and Cabinet. This will be staffed by the staff of the former DECCW.
- The former Heritage Office (more recently known as the Heritage Branch) has been transferred from the Department of Planning to the Department of Premier and Cabinet, to sit as part of the new Office of Environment and Heritage. Responsibility for the state heritage legislation has also been removed from the planning portfolio, and now rests with the new Environment and Heritage Minister, Robyn Parker. Appropriately, responsibility for local heritage matters, including new heritage conservation areas, remains with the re-named Department of Planning and Infrastructure.
- The role of the Treasurer has been narrowed. The new Treasurer, Mike Baird, will have responsibility for the framing of the state budget, but won’t be overseeing the Office of State Revenue (who are responsible for the administration of stamp duty and land tax), which has been transferred from Treasury to the new Department of Finance and Services.
- The new Department of Finance and Services has also assumed responsibility for the government procurement work of the old Department of Commerce (which was more recently known as the Department of Services, Technology and Administration), the State Property Authority and the asset management functions of Housing NSW. It will be overseen by the new Finance and Services Minister, Greg Pearce. There is no separate Lands Minister anymore and there is no Housing Minister, as such (although Pru Goward, as Family and Community Services Minister, will be responsible for those parts of Housing NSW’s business that do not relate to asset management). Mr Pearce also has ministerial responsibility for Sydney Water and Hunter Water.
- Transport NSW has been re-named as the Department of Transport.
Chris Eccles has been appointed as the state’s most senior public servant (Director-General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet). Background information of Mr Eccles is available here.
Michael Schur, Secretary of NSW Treasury (well-known to our industry because of his former role as head of the NSW Office of Infrastructure Management) has been placed on indefinite leave by the new government.
