Major project law strikes right balance, Premier says

New laws taking power to approve major projects away from councils are a big improvement, the Premier says, though the Greens have their doubts.

NEW major projects legislation would allow independent expert assessment of big developments, rather than leaving them in the hand of councils, Premier Peter Gutwein says.

Public comment on the government’s draft Major Projects Bill closes on Friday.

The new laws will replace old Projects of Regional Significance rules, which have never been used, and will apply to major projects which are high value or complex, or declared as a major project by the Planning Minister or their developers.

The Greens say the legislation is deeply flawed, but Mr Gutwein said it was a big improvement on current arrangements.

Premier Peter Gutwein. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

“With legislation like this, you will always have those at one end of the spectrum that argue against it, and there will be those at the other end of the spectrum that will argue for it.

“I believe that sits firmly in the middle,” he said yesterday.

“We need a framework that provides an independent panel to assess major projects that may be out of scope or out of the capacity of local government to deal with or — through their complexity — require special skills in terms of the assessment.

“Those assessment panels will be established by the TPC at arm’s length from government, and the decision will be made by those panels at arm’s length from government.

“I think that the legislation that we have currently out for consultation is a very sensible framework, and it’s one that I would hope the vast majority of Tasmanians would support.”

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In their submission on the legislation, Greens planning spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said there had not been proper consultation on the legislation due to the coronavirus pandemic, and a shortage of official information.

Rosalie Woodruff. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

“As we move out of the COVID-19 emergency, we need to be rebuilding a Tasmania for everyone — where everyone gets a meaningful say,” she said.

“The draft Major Projects Bill threatens the integrity of our planning processes.

“The proposed change to planning laws bypasses local councils and communities.”

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Ms Woodruff said the proposed laws were an excuse for the government to “reach in and take control of planning decisions for developments the government supports but a council and its community do not”.