PLANNING REFORM
567. Mr J.N. CAREY to the Minister for Planning:
I
refer to the state government's $5.5 billion ''WA Recovery Plan'',
which includes a focus on unlocking barriers to investment by cutting red tape
and streamlining processes. Can the minister update the house on the
implementation of this government's reforms to the state's
planning system and can she advise the house what has been the response to
these once-in-a-generation reforms?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI
replied:
I thank the member for Perth for that question and for his
commitment to supporting small business and cutting red tape in Western Australia.
The state government is assisting Western Australia's post-COVID-19
economic recovery through a planning system that supports major job-creating
projects, small business and residents wanting to invest in home improvements.
The Planning and Development Amendment Act 2020, which recently passed
Parliament, contains new provisions to cut red tape and support job-creating
projects. A key part of the reform was the new state development pathway. That
unit has been established and has already been very busy, having fielded dozens
of inquiries and looked at applications to proceed with advice to the Western Australian
Planning Commission. Regulations are in the community and the marketplace for
consultation in relation to the cutting of red tape and the fast-tracking of
small projects for homeowners. Our planning reform package, together with the
confidence of the housing industry, which is supported by both the state and
federal government, has seen some significant results already. Subdivision
applications have increased from 213 in June last year to 419 in June this
year, which is a 97 per cent increase. There has been a 140 per cent increase
from July last year to July this year in subdivision applications. Members may
recall that the Liberal Party was not overwhelmingly supportive of our planning
reform legislation. It made some extraordinary claims that the bills were
corrupt and open to lobbying. A conga line
of critics from the other side levelled insults, led by the member for
Cottesloe. The member for Dawesville got in on the act and, of course,
the opposition spokesperson for planning was a fierce critic of the bill in
many instances. Hon Tjorn Sibma said —
It is very clear that the creation
of these new powers will create some opportunity for � corrupt or even criminal
behaviour to take place, and we should all stand against that.
He also said that he did
not need to labour the point that the creation of powers like this would
potentially corrupt the planning system. That is his opinion and he is entitled
to his opinion, but I was surprised when I stumbled across an invite to an exclusive breakfast at the 500 Club
with Hon Tjorn Sibma to discuss our planning and development bill. The
opposition spokesperson on planning was criticising the bill and calling it
corrupt but then he had an exclusive event
for 500 Club members to talk about how he supported the bill and how great the
bill is for development in WA. The Liberal Party is so desperate that it
is borrowing our policies for fundraisers. It does not have any policies and it
does not have a leader that can be promoted for fundraisers. Here is the deal—the
Liberal Party can borrow our policies for fundraisers but it cannot borrow our
leader.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER: Members, please! Come on, it has been
pretty good so far.