A Threat to Local Democracy
I firmly believe the government’s plans to centralise the planning process by creating Development Assessment Panels undermines both democracy and transparency. The new process would remove elected council members and public participation in key development decisions, sidelining local communities from having a say in potentially controversial projects.
Who Benefits?
It appears that this government wants to make it easier for their big developer mates by circumventing due process. When their projects hit a roadblock, big developers can simply appeal to their favourite politicians to clear the path. Who is really behind this?
Centralized Control vs. Local Knowledge
This proposed legislation strips power from local councils that know their communities best and takes decision-making power away from those communities. This move to centralise planning is like putting a tourist in the driver’s seat of a community bus—they have no idea where the passengers need to go, but they’re steering anyway.
Political Interference
The claim that this legislation ‘takes politics out of planning’ is laughable. In reality, it does the opposite—injecting even more political control into the process. Giving the planning minister the power to bypass local councils and force through projects that have already been rejected is reckless and flat-out wrong.
Experience Matters
I’ve seen how this plays out. I watched it happen over in the UK both as mayor and chairman of planning. It’s a disaster. My lived experience has reinforced my belief that planning decisions are best made at a local level, where councils have a deep understanding of the impacts on their community and environment.
My Stance
To put it simply, this legislation is undemocratic and borderline corrupt, and I cannot support any legislation that seeks to do this. That’s the way it is now, and that’s the way it should be.
