2015-06-29 General Committee Meeting Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                     29 JUNE 2015


3.    Key Differences

It is anticipated that the Bills introduced by the government will be more similar than dissimilar to
those introduced by the shadow cabinet. The DILGP have expressed a desire to have
consideration of the private members bills postponed until Parliament could consider both sets of
proposed legislation at the same time, however there is no guarantee this will occur.

The key differences in philosophy and drafting instructions from the current government appear
to be:

•     Balancing the need to facilitate economic development along with other considerations
•     Restoring previous Planning & Environment Court cost arrangements for submitters (so
      that costs cannot be awarded against them)
•     Increasing penalties in line with other Acts
•     Retaining existing community engagement and notification requirements
•     Providing financial and in-kind support to Local Governments to adapt to and adopt the
      changes (although this will be prioritised to smaller regional councils who have less
      resources of their own).
•     Extending the timeframe for making a Local Government Infrastructure Plan by a further
      two years, subject to an approved programme
•     Engaging Local Government and industry about appropriate compensation arrangements
      for natural hazard risk management (flooding, bushfire, landslide or coastal erosion).

4.    Input into the Process

In January 2015, Council made a submission to the State Government Department with
responsibility for facilitating the planning reform on the Bills that had been proposed at that time.
It is suggested that, with very minor modification, this could be resubmitted to the Infrastructure,
Planning and Natural Resources Parliamentary Committee.

It is suggested a submission also be made to the government’s planning reform process in
response to the Better Planning Directions Paper, broadly in line with comments included in
Attachment 2.

Officers have contributed to the LGAQ Planning Reform Position Paper, considered by the LGAQ
Policy Executive on 25 June 2015, which forms the basis of the LGAQ’s submission to the
planning reform process. Council may wish to forward copies of their own submission to LGAQ in
addition.


Previous Council Consideration

Council first considered the proposed Planning & Development Bill and Planning & Environment
Court Bill 2014 in September 2014 (prior to them being introduced to parliament) and requested
the Chief Executive Officer make a submission to the draft Bills.

Then, at its meeting of 15 January 2015 Council considered a report on Queensland planning
reform including the Planning and Development Bill.




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