2015-06-29 General Committee Meeting Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                  29 JUNE 2015


On 4 June 2015, the Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Planning, Small Business, Employment
and Trade introduced three Private Member’s Bills to the Queensland Parliament. Essentially the
same as the Bills previously proposed last November, these are
•    the Planning and Development (Planning for Prosperity) Bill 2015
•    the Planning and Development (Planning for Prosperity – Consequential Amendments) and
     Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2015; and
•    the Planning and Development (Planning Court) Bill 2015
The Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources Committee is required to consider these bills
and report to the Legislative Assembly by 13 October 2015.

The private member Bills differ slightly from the previous planning reform package proposed by
the former LNP government by removing provisions that allowed for development applications to
be accepted by an assessment manager without the land owner’s consent, and the removal of a
clause which described when a fine was payable to a local government. The Bills could be further
amended following consultation.


2.   Better Planning For Queensland

On 25 May 2015 the Deputy Premier released a Better Planning for Queensland Directions
Paper outlining the Governments directions for its planning reform process. It advised that a new
planning Bill would be introduced to the Queensland Parliament by October 2015, based on the
following principles:
•    Enabling responsible development
•    Stimulating economic growth and innovation
•    Ensuring genuine public participation in the planning process
•    Delivering clear and concise legislation that supports effective and efficient planning and
     development assessment
The Government’s position is that the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (SPA) is flawed and that
the planning legislation needs fundamental review. The Government’s Key Directions to
delivering better planning for Queensland are to:
•    Enable better strategic planning and high quality development outcomes
•    Ensure effective public participation and engagement in the planning framework
•    Create an open, transparent and accountable planning system that delivers investment and
     community confidence
•    Create legislation that has a practical structure and clearly expresses how land use
     planning and development assessment will be done in Queensland
•    Support local governments to adapt to and adopt the changes

The Directions Paper lists various priorities and these have been summarised in Attachment 2.

Similar to the Bills introduced by the shadow cabinet, the proposed legislation will consist of a
Planning Act, a separate Court Act and a third Act to make consequential amendments required
for the proposed enactment of the new legislation.




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