Shadow Minister for Planning Tjorn Sibma and the Liberal Party believe that the planning and development system in Western Australia needs an overhaul to work for the entire community.
“We have developed a policy designed to drive a cultural improvement in the way that members of the community are treated within the planning system and by planning authorities,” Mr Sibma said.
“Minister Saffioti has changed the character of established communities at the stroke of a pen through direct intervention in Local Planning Schemes.
“She has turned a blind eye to inappropriate scatter gun infill developments in the suburbs. The Premier has derided opponents of inappropriate infill as NIMBYs.
“We urgently need to restore public trust in our planning system. We can accommodate a growing population and achieve our full economic potential while respecting community perspectives about policies that affect their homes, families and immediate neighbourhoods.
“The Liberal Party has a five-point plan for respecting communities and restoring balance in WA’s planning system to make sure that it is fair, transparent and works in our long-term interest.”
Mr Sibma said a Liberal Government will:
- Immediately undertake an independent root and branch integrity audit of governance within the entire Western Australian Planning system.
- Establish an independent Office of the Planning Ombudsman.
- Stand up for our suburbs through smarter and fairer infill.
- Increase Development Assessment Panel (DAP) ‘opt-in’ and mandatory thresholds to restore community input and improve efficiency of the planning system.
- Introduce a Planning & Development Community Consultation Improvement Bill.
“There is an unavoidable need to restore community confidence in Western Australia’s planning system and this will be to the benefit of all participants in the system,” Mr Sibma said.