Calls to open up State Commission Assessment Panel hearings

IT’S the planning panel that meets every second Thursday of every month, and assesses the applications for the biggest projects in the state. But the public by and large can’t attend.

The Adelaide CBD. Picture: Simon Cross

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IT meets every second Thursday of every month, and assesses the applications for the biggest projects in the state.

But the public by and large can’t attend.

Despite the importance of the projects it assesses — and the potential wideranging impacts they can have on everyday life — it is “invite only” access to the State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) hearings. Other issues include:

THOSE who can attend the hearings can’t stay for the deliberation of the panel.

KEY documents can be kept secret.

DOCUMENTS withdrawn following the end of the comment period are only accessible via Freedom of Information.

THERE are no appeal rights available against any decision made by the relevant minister regarding government projects or any that has the government’s tick of approval.

Some of the key projects discussed by this panel in recent times include a bid to dredge 1.5 million cubic metres of sea matter from the Port River, 27 On the Run petrol stations, 19 Aldi supermarkets — and every, single project proposed for the city of Adelaide that is over $10 million.

Adelaide-based planning law expert Paul Leadbeter said this shouldn’t be happening in the state’s planning system.

Flinders Ports at Outer Harbor on the Port River. Picture: Supplied.

“I think the public should be able to see anything that is put forward regarding the applications,” he said.

“Especially documents that have been submitted, they should not be kept secret as part of this.

“And while I wouldn’t push for the panel’s deliberation to be made public, certainly the hearings for the proponents and objectors or representers should be open to the general public.

“Otherwise this and making key documents secret gives rise to the perception that something fishy has happened.”

Tom Matthews heads Community Alliance SA, a group made up of 25 residents’ associations, and agreed the system required more transparency.

“We are not against developments we just want the community to be able to have its say and be able to know what is happening with these massive projects,” he said.

“We want to know what is happening in our areas and currently that isn’t really possible under this system.”

The City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters last year spoke out against the issue after three major projects for its community were discussed in secret, despite significant community angst.

Then, the SCAP was recently accused by environmental groups of keeping key documents secret regarding planning applications.

This followed Environmental Protection Authority advice on Flinders Ports’ bid to dredge 1.5 million cubic metres of sea matter in the Port River being heard behind closed doors.

Greens MLC Mark Parnell wants panel hearings made public and for documents to be accessible and retained as an online archive.

He has approached the panel, which he said simply needed to change its meeting procedures to open itself to the public. “There are things that they are doing now that are worse than what used to happen regarding access to information 15 years ago,” he said.

“I would be amazed if reforms to it aren’t forthcoming.”