16 October 2013
“The Federal Government announcement that it is developing a one-stop shop to streamline environmental approvals will need the states to join in” says the Urban Taskforce.
“It is good news that Minister Greg Hunt has announced a one-stop shop approach to rationalising the complex system of environmental approvals across Australia.” says Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson “Developments have been held up for months and even years while state and federal government environmental and planning departments have had separate approval processes.”
“We have had projects in Sydney that had state approval but were then called in by the Commonwealth effectively overriding the state approvals. Clearly this gives no confidence to allow a project to proceed.”
“The Urban Taskforce urges all states and territories to sign bilateral agreements with the federal government so that environmental approvals can be streamlined.”
“We also call on the federal Minister for the Environment to review the extent of the criteria used to trigger approvals. Earlier this year the Commonwealth placed an approved development in Parramatta at risk because of heritage views from old Government House being used to call in the project. This demonstrates that some environmental criteria can be misused to the detriment of a state approved project.