Government uses $13m from open space fund to pay for planning reforms, sparking claim money has been ‘pilfered’
SA’s planning department last financial year took $13m from an open space fund – financed through housing subdivision levies – to pay for its new design code, a report reveals.
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More money earmarked for creating new public space all over South Australia has instead been used to fund State Government planning reforms.
The Auditor-General’s annual report reveals that the planning department last financial year took $13m from an open space fund – financed through housing subdivision levies – to pay for its new planning system.
The transfer from the planning and development fund is on top of nearly $10m taken from the fund in the previous two financial years, as revealed by The Advertiser, to finance the new planning and design code.
The planning and development fund provides matched funding to councils for the purchase and upgrading of public spaces.
Greens MLC Mark Parnell told parliament on Wednesday that the government had “pilfered” $23m that represented “money that cannot be spent on parks and footpaths and cycleways and open space for the benefit of the community”.
Mr Parnell for the third time moved a motion to disallow regulations he says would specifically allow the government to use the fund to administer the new planning regime.
Former planning minister Stephan Knoll drew criticism from developers, councils and community groups for introducing the regulations in July
The LGA has accused the government of “triple-dipping” into council coffers to finance its new planning and design code and online e-planning system.
The new code will replace council development plans and provide a single set of planning rules for the state.
It is operating in Outback areas and small regional councils but Planning Minister Vickie Chapman delayed the rollout for the rest of the state until next year after community pushback.
The Advertiser revealed in 2018 that suburbs undergoing significant urban renewal were missing out on millions of dollars in open space funding.
Map of open space funding and projects
INNER-METRO COUNCILS’ OPEN SPACE
(Population/Ha per 1000 people)
Adelaide - 20,000/49.5
Mitcham - 66,834/8.20
Campbelltown - 49,716/7.97
NPSP - 34,000/5.3
Burnside - 41,175/4.84
Walkerville - 7000/4
Charles Sturt 104,981/3.84
Port Adelaide Enfield - 112,812/3.64
West Torrens - 54,948/3.1
Prospect - 20,000/1.2
Unley - 38,500/0.8
Metropolitan Average: 8ha/1000 people (industry benchmark 4ha/1000 people)
Sources: Burnside Council Open Space Strategy 2008-2018, Campbelltown Open Space Strategies and Directions Report June 2012, Charles Sturt Council Open Space Strategy 2025, Port Adelaide Enfield Open Space Plan 2013, West Torrens Open Space and Public Place Plan 2013, Prospect Council Draft Open Space Strategy Feb 2018, NPSP Council, Mitcham Council