Greens say Mac Point planning process flawed by conflict of interest
The assessment of the proposed Macquarie Point stadium was compromised by the proponent also being the author of planning guidelines for the site, the Greens say. The government’s reply.
Tasmania
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The assessment of the proposed Macquarie Point stadium was compromised by the project proponent also being the author of planning guidelines for the site, the Greens say.
Documents released by the Tasmanian Planning Commission reveal that the Macquarie Point Development Corporation will be the project’s proponent.
Greens Planning spokesman Vica Bayley says the MPDC is also responsible for writing the
precinct plan against which the project is being assessed.
“There is a clear conflict of interest and bias that will undermine confidence in the Project of State Significance process.
“With MPDC operating at the direction of their Minister, and no other objective measures against which the proposal will be considered, the Liberals are effectively writing their own stadium’s assessment criteria.
“This is perverse, and the community will rightly find it disturbing.
“If you build a house, you don’t get to tell your local council the rules they have to use for your planning application.
“If the Liberals were serious about the stadium going through a proper, objective assessment, they should at least allow the existing planning rules for the Macquarie Point site to be the measure against which the panel assesses the stadium project.
“As the days go by, the stadium stench only spreads.”
A government spokeswoman said every thing was above board.
“The Project of State Significance is an independent process that allows important projects to be considered against project specific criteria.
“This independent process is run by the Tasmanian Planning Commission, at arm’s-length from Government.
“The Tasmanian Planning Commission released the draft integrated guidelines to assess the project.
“The draft guidelines require that the Sullivans Cove Planning Scheme be considered as one of the many items in the integrated assessment.
“The assessment is to also consider the Mac Point Precinct Plan, which is appropriate.
“The Macquarie Point Multipurpose Stadium Project of State Significance will also return to parliament for final approval.”
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