Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act Regulations

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. M.C. Parnell:

That the general regulations under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 concerning the Planning and Development Fund (No. 4), made on 18 February 2021 and laid on the table of this council on 2 March 2021, be disallowed.

(Continued from 3 March 2021.)

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (17:12): I will echo the Hon. Mr Parnell: we know what to do and we know how to do it. I am tempted to sit down and leave it at that, but I will, just for completeness, briefly outline why Labor supports this motion. This motion is to disallow the general regulations made under the Development and Infrastructure Act 2016. As we have said before—and before and before again—these regulations will allow the Minister for Planning to use funds from the Planning and Development Fund to prop up failed planning reforms.

Under the current act, applicants who create new developments are required to pay into the Planning and Development Fund; this is to enable projects to be undertaken to improve the public realm. The fund is for projects to make streets and suburbs more liveable by developing reserves, planting trees, constructing water harvesting projects and building playgrounds, but instead this government wants it to be diverted to prop up the mismanaged planning reforms and e-planning system—the reform process that has been plagued by a series of crises that have led to massive staff resignations, missed deadlines and massive budget blowouts.

So it is not surprising that the Marshall government wants to cover up its failure and is therefore trying to raid other budget lines. However, raiding those budget lines is not in any way going to improve the quality and the amenity of our communities. The funds are supposed to be to improve the conservation, enhancement and enjoyment of public open spaces and to provide communities access to quality green public open space for positive health and wellbeing outcomes.

The Hon. Mr Parnell reflected in a very timely way on how much COVID-19 and restrictions that have been in place have made us value even more these open spaces, these green spaces. They are appreciated even more by members of our state. So Labor will not support the open space fund being plundered by the planning minister to prop up the budget shortfall in the development and implementation of the planning code, which is why we will support this disallowance.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (17:14): On behalf of the Treasurer, can I say that this is groundhog day. We will be opposing this motion.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Parnell to conclude the debate. I can predict some of the words he is going to use probably.

The Hon. M.C. PARNELL (17:14): Honourable members, you know what this is and you know what to do. This is the sixth time we have disallowed these regulations, and I will leave it at that. I thank the Labor Party and the crossbench for their support, and I appreciate that we have the numbers. I fully expect these regulations to be back in the Government Gazette tomorrow, and I expect that we will be disallowing them again the following Wednesday of sitting.

Motion carried.