‘Let them pay’: Lismore City Council refuses to fund state-imposed planning panel after 2022 floods

Lismore council has refused to foot the bill for a planning panel “imposed” by the NSW government in the wake of last year’s record flooding. Here’s why.

Lismore City Council voted not to fund the Lismore Planning Panel put in place by Planning Minister Anthony Roberts MP.

Council has refused to foot the bill for the Lismore Planning Panel “imposed” by the state government in the wake of last year’s record flooding.

In a meeting this week, Lismore City Council voted not to fund the panel put in place by Planning Minister Anthony Roberts MP.

The council decided during the meeting to advise NSW Governor Margaret Beazley and all cabinet ministers that council has never resolved to constitute a planning panel.

It will also advise it never authorised any request for such a panel and will not pay for it – “if legally able to do so”.

Council determined to tell the government: “Councillors do not need any assistance in undertaking out roles as consent authorities in relation to the minimal number of planning matters that are ultimately decided by councillors”.

Councillors previously referred to the imposition of the panel as a state power grab.

Mr Roberts declined to comment about the council’s decision.

Planning Minister Anthony Roberts MP. Picture: David Swift.

Earlier, Mr Roberts overrode a specific rejection of the panel by the council – and appointed members of the panel himself.

He argued the move was an important part of the Lismore Flood Recovery Planning Package, “which is designed to speed up planning professes to support flood recovery efforts.”

The Minister ordered the council to pay for the panel, and some councillors are not pleased.

Cr Big Rob said at the meeting the council needed to “keep refusing” and letting the government know they did not want the panel.

“It's pretty clear that the Minister imposed it on us – let them pay for it,” he said.

Antoinette O'Brien’s home was destroyed in the Lismore floods, like many in the regional city. Picture: Elise Derwin.

In February, councillor Darlene Cook said the council had only called up a handful of development applications to debate. She questioned how this was holding up the flood recovery.

Cr Rob said previously most councils with planning panels had been sacked and gone into administration.

“I'm embarrassed to be in that company,” he said.

“We didn’t do anything wrong.”

Councillors Elly Bird, Peter Colby, Vanessa Ekins, Rob and Adam Guise voted not to fund the panel, and to condemn the government's decision.

Councillors Andrew Gordon, Andrew Bing, Electra Jensen and Mayor Steve Krieg voted not to oppose the panel. Cr Cook was absent.

Ned Foster and Taya Dawson cleaning up ion South Lismore after the floods. Picture: Jason O'Brien

The Department of Planning and Environment “is considering Council’s resolution”, according to a spokesman.

“Local planning panels have many benefits … they provide additional technical expertise, depoliticise planning decisions, and provide more consistent and transparent decision-making,” he said.

The spokesman said assessment process for DAs will still be undertaken by council staff and include community consultation.

“Community representatives have been appointed to the panel,” he said.

“A public meeting is held for proposals that receive more than 10 objections, to give the community a chance to address the panel before it makes a decision.”

The spokesman said the department “introduced a new temporary site compatibility certificate pathway specifically for the Lismore LGA to support the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation’s Resilient Land Program”.

He said it would “mitigate against possible housing pressures, by identifying flood-safe land suitable for redevelopment“.

“This pathway will ensure suitable land can be subdivided and used for residential purposes, even if the existing planning rules would normally prohibit it,” he said.

An increase in DAs was anticipated across northern NSW as recovery efforts continued.

An overturned car on Dawson St, Lismore in the aftermath of the 2022 floods. Picture: Jason O'Brien

The chairman of the panel will be paid $2000 per meeting (and $285 per hour for business outside of meetings), while an independent expert will be paid $1500 (and $214 per hour), and a community representative will be paid $500 per meeting (and $71 per hour)

Originally published as ‘Let them pay’: Lismore City Council refuses to fund state-imposed planning panel after 2022 floods