The Urban Taskforce supports the recent announcement by the Planning Minister Rob Stokes, to review the Independent Planning Commission after a series of unfortunate blunders by the organisation.
“A review of the IPC is needed after a number of confusing and embarrassing decisions,’ says Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson. ‘The overturning of Lane Cove Council’s plans for South St Leonards by three IPC commissioners who were not skilled in urban development but in nature conservation and transport along with the embarrassing announcement of a planning approval for a mining project to only reverse this hours later show there are major problems with the IPC.”
“The Urban Taskforce is concerned that members seem to be selected more on anti-growth grounds than pro-growth grounds. The conflict of interest policy regarding Commissioners eliminates many potential commissioners with a strong knowledge of property development – any Commissioner who has a relationship with a former business associate or applicant is eliminated. Clearly the strong preference is for people who know nothing about development.”
“The selection process of which Commissioners to sit on the assessment of a project is of concern as it seems left leaning bureaucrats can nominate 3 members who are against development. A review of the selection of Commissioners, of how Commissioners are allocated to assess projects as well as the degree of in camera briefing by government bureaucrats all need to be reviewed.”
Read the Full PDF Here
